


only the birds and bees know where we go

by ikindaneedahero



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Innocent Louis, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Omega Louis, Playboy AU, Rich Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-01 13:39:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8626588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikindaneedahero/pseuds/ikindaneedahero
Summary: The Playboy Mansion is viewed as the great escape for male omegas all over the world. Louis leaves home on a whim and flies to Los Angeles in the hopes that things will work out in his favor for once. When a Playboy executive spots him at the grocery store and invites him to a party at the elusive Playboy Mansion, he knows everything is about to change.(An A/B/O Playboy AU because I'm self indulgent)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I read Holly Madison's tell-all about the happenings in the Playboy Mansion like six months ago and haven't gotten this out of my head. Some things are the same, some things are different AKA:
> 
> 1\. The mansion is nice and not decrepit in this  
> 2\. Harry is not 90 years old  
> 3\. Girls and guys are playmates  
> 4\. It's A/B/O lol

It was impossible not to look around in awe at the mansion, the sheer enormity of it impossible to fully grasp until stepping inside of it himself. It was one thing to see a few rooms downstairs, but another to see the full mansion. Louis’d read online that it was redone every two years, the carpet ripped out, the appliances changed for newer versions, and the furniture replaced with newer, nicer leather furniture. And now he’d be living in this luxurious palace.

Louis followed the butler, Preston, up the stairs to what the man said was his new room. He was curious as to whether or not he’d have his own room, but even if he didn’t, he was just grateful to be here. It was every beta and omega’s dream to be chosen as a playmate, yet here he was. Little Louis, a male omega from Maine. Who would’ve thought.

“Omega Louis, this is your room. Please let me know if you’re in need of any assistance,” Preston said with a formal bow. Louis blushed uncomfortably at the formal greeting, the mention of his gender reminding him more than ever how alone he was both in the world and the mansion. 

\----------------------------------------  
Male omegas made up less than three percent of the world’s population, the numbers dwindling with every year. Geneticists had no idea what was happening outside of the fact that it was indeed happening. Growing up with a single beta mother and three older alpha sisters was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because no one in his family truly understood what it was like to be an omega, let alone a male omega. He presumed that if his family were to know, they’d never had let him move across the country alone. It was a curse for the exact same reason; no one knew what he felt like, so they put their own thoughts and expectations of omegas into rules and conversation every single day. He was sheltered, homeschooled, and friendless. He was painfully aware of how far behind his peers he was in terms of everything except for intellect. The boy was perceptive and intelligent, making his way through college-level coursework by age 14. 

Despite his intellect, the place for male omegas in universities and well-paying jobs was nonexistent. There was no concrete place in society etched out by male omegas before him, all male Os following similar life trajectories. They were born, their families sheltered them, and they were married off to well-off, gay alphas for a pretty penny. Repeat cycle. Jay, Louis’ mum, knew the path that her son was destined to follow. There was no way to veer off of it, the fear of her son being raped, trafficked, or forced into marriage was too persistent for her to allow him to go off to school. And, she often thought, the fear of the worst existed in the minds of all male omega’s parents. Her Louis was even more special; he was absolutely beautiful. His sisters would take him to the grocery store or the library when he was younger only to come back with clenched jaws and stories of alphas and betas of all ages fawning over the little one. The story was always the same; he was so beautiful, so little, so charming, so shy. He was the perfect omega, the perfect mate, the perfect eventual mum. As a mother, Jay couldn’t let just anyone have him, so she’d wait until he was 21 and begin to interview potential suitors. She didn’t kid herself; she knew men and women would come from all corners of the world for a chance to mate her son. She knew how patriarchal and demeaning the process was, but she couldn’t let chance play a roll in the course of Louis’ life.

Unfortunately for Jay, Louis had different plans. Six months before his 21st birthday, she woke up to a note telling her that Louis left. For good. He believed he could make good for himself, that he could live a life that he always wanted and he’d call soon. Jay was inconsolable until she received a call from Louis three months later that he was okay, that he was safe, that he was moving into the Playboy mansion. She almost fainted at the mention of where he was moving into, the television and magazine articles she read about the palace and the owner of it making her weary. Louis promised he’d be fine and that he knew what he was doing before he hung up. She just hoped that he was right.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Louis looked around the room. His bags were placed near a queen-sized bed in the huge room, the omega shocked at how spacious the arrangements were. The other bed was made with a dark blue duvet, comic books sprawled on the desk that sat beside it. Louis’ stomach felt uneasy as he thought about who his roommate would be. It was wishful thinking, but he hoped he’d get his own room. He’d never shared a room before, two of his sisters being forced to share a room once he presented so that he could have some privacy during “omega things,” his mom said. 

Moving closer to his roommate’s things, his heart simultaneously stopped beating and beat out of his chest. His roommate was Zayn. Zayn Malik. THE Zayn Malik, the first male omega to appear on a magazine cover, in a movie, and on a television show. Louis assumed that Zayn was as much of a role model to other male omegas as he was to himself. Louis spent many nights scouring the internet for information about Zayn’s life, how he was raised, how living unsheltered had impacted him. Louis wanted nothing more than to be as successful as Zayn, to not be the trophy of a rich alpha, to make something of himself.

The reason that he had found his way to Los Angeles was because of Zayn. He still hadn’t met the man, only seeing him from a distance at the pool parties that landed him a spot at the mansion. 

Louis had moved into his apartment three days before he got his first invitation to the mansion. He was starving, having not eaten for three days before he realized he needed to go to the grocery store. The prospect of being kidnapped, assaulted, or even talked to was too much to bear. He always had one of his alpha sisters with him when he went out at home; maybe his mom was right, maybe this was too much for a male omega to handle. He barely let himself stomach that thinking; he was here, he couldn’t return home without a fight. So he got up, got dressed, and headed to the grocery store. 

As he was picking a bag of shredded lettuce out of the refrigerator, he heard someone clear their throat right next to him.

“Hi, sorry to bother you. I’m Lou Teasdale,” the beta woman said with a huge smile. She was what Louis thought of when the word LA came to mind; bleach blonde hair, faded jeans, red lipstick, and a relaxed demeanor.

“Hi,” Louis said quietly “I’m Louis.” The boy was too nervous to give his last name, unsure of whether or not his mom would send police out looking for him. Without a mate, he was still considered something of a child, the ward of his family. 

“Nice to meet you, Louis! I was wondering if you had any plans this Saturday,” she asked, still smiling easily as if she could sense the omega’s trepidation.

Louis thought carefully before answering, “I’m not sure.”

“That’s all right! Have you heard of Harry Styles?”

Louis’ eyes widened at the mention of the man, “Y-yeah, I have. I think everyone has,” he said with a chuckle.

Lou chuckled, “I think you may be right, just don’t tell him that. I was wondering if you might want to go to a pool party at his home. We’re always looking for new faces, and I saw you while I was picking up some apples and thought that you would just be perfect.” 

Louis blushed deeply as he digested the woman’s words. Harry Styles? As in Harry Styles? What if the woman was setting him up? This was the exact type of thing that his mother had warned him against doing, the exact reason as to why she didn’t want him to go out on his own.

“I-I’m not sure,” he admitted honestly.

The woman took sympathy, “It’s okay, love. Not to get too personal in the middle of Whole Foods, but my little brother is an O. I completely understand why you’d be worried. You have a few days to think about it, here’s my card. If you end up wanting to come then just call me and I’ll send a car. Hope to hear from you soon, love.”

The panic that had gripped Louis’ heart started to melt at Lou revealing she had an omega brother, smiling slightly as he accepted the woman’s card. He didn’t look at it until he got home, the words “Louise Teasdale, Executive Assistant to Harry Styles” directly under the Playboy logo. 

Louis barely slept the next few nights, weighing the pros and cons of going. In the pros list lied the fact that this was the reason he came to LA: to make something of himself, to become a Zayn Malik, to meet an alpha who would lift him up, not trample all over him. On the other hand, Lou could be lying to him, he could be raped, or people could treat him weirdly because he was a male omega. 

The pros ended up winning out, Louis’ curiosity about the mysterious Playboy mansion too intense to skip out. Lou was delighted when Louis called, letting the boy know that she’d send a car to his apartment the next day. She sounded a bit disgruntled and concerned when she heard where his apartment was, questioning the fact that he walked almost two miles to get to the grocery store where they’d initially met. 

Louis wore the only bathing suit he had, a loose pair of black swim shorts with a white v-neck. He thought that he looked as good as someone could while going to a pool party- what about swimming was fashionable? 

As he headed outside, he checked his phone anxiously, seeing that it was one minute before the car was supposed to arrive. He let himself ponder the fact that Lou could be playing with him, that she forgot about him, that she forgot to call a car to come. His worries were unnecessary, as a black escalade rolled up exactly on time. 

A large alpha jumped out of the car and moved to open the door for Louis.

“Mr. Tomlinson, I’m Paul. I will be driving you today,” the man said with a slight bow. Louis could smell that the man was mated, a floral scent drifting off of the man. 

“Thank you very much, sir,” Louis said with his head bowed. A deference to alphas was ingrained in him since he was little, his mother teaching him how to deal with alphas and their thoughts of what omegas should be. His sisters were always stern, but loving towards him. He’d only been around a few other alphas in his life, most of the encounters buffered by his mother or one of his sisters. Being in a car alone with an alpha, regardless of the partition being rolled up, was extremely nerve-wracking. 

The nerves that Louis felt being in the car were nothing compared to when the gate to the Playboy mansion creaked open. The estate was sprawling, acres of green grass, fountains, trees, and flowers surrounding the magnificent estate comprised of brown brick. Louis couldn’t help but press his nose to the window of the car, drinking in every detail of the estate’s exterior. Paul continued to drive around to the side of the estate, Louis’ stomach a flurry of butterflies when the car stopped and the man jumped out and moved to open his door.

“Mr. Tomlinson, if you’ll follow me this way,” Paul said with a small smile. Alpha senses were superior to beta and omega senses, the younger man’s nerves completely flooding Paul’s senses. The man wondered where Lou found the boy and smirked thinking about what Harry’s reaction was going to be. Lou obviously had a good feeling about him if she sent Harry’s personal chauffeur and bodyguard to pick him up without telling Harry her plans. The alphas knew not to mess with Lou when she was on a mission; Harry kept her around because of her no bullshit attitude. The woman was a firecracker and they needed more strong women on the Playboy team and estate. 

Louis’ eyes almost popped out of his head at what lied past the gate that Paul punched a code into, the alpha nodding at another huge man who was stationed right beside it. He was met by a sight of what he could only describe as a scene from a movie. There were women and men in the large pool that was filled with bright blue water. People were lounging on rafts and blown up swans, drinks in hand, laughter permeating the air as people jumped off the diving board at the far end of the pool and others headed down the massive, swirling waterslide. The patio was full of plush outdoor chairs and tables, people lounging, drinking, and eating food brought to them by waiters. 

“Enjoy yourself, Mr. Tomlinson,” Paul said with a smile. The man wished he could’ve helped the omega out, but knew that if he were to be seen giving preferential treatment to a guest then he would be in hot water. The seriousness with which the attendants of Saturday pool parties treated the event was baffling, but he wasn’t in the mood to be questioned.

Louis had absolutely no idea where to go next, knowing absolutely no one in the state of California, let alone the 75-person event that he was at. He moved to an empty table at the edge of the premises, sitting down while he got his bearings and thought of how to proceed. He wished more than anything that Lou would pop out of nowhere and introduce him to people, but the woman was nowhere to be seen.

“Hi, sir, can I get you something to drink?” a waitress said as she walked over with a smile. 

“Water, please,” Louis said with a weak smile. The woman nodded, albeit confusedly. Who came to an all-inclusive party with top shelf liquor and got water? He must be new here, she thought. 

She brought his water back quickly, leaving without asking for money. Louis was unsure as to whether or not he’d have to pay, so her leaving was a good indicator that he didn’t have to. He breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of not having to pay; he was quickly running out of money.

“Hey mate, what are you doing over all alone over here?” Louis heard a loud, Irish accent call out. He kept his head down, unsure of whether or not the man was talking to him even though he was the only person sitting alone at the party. His question was answered when someone sat down across from him, a bleach blond beta in a white scoop neck and swim shorts that just looked expensive. 

“Oh, I-I, um, I don’t know anyone here,” Louis stuttered, the man’s intense blue eyed gaze too much for him to handle.

“I’m Niall,” the man said with an easy smile.

“Louis,” the omega said quietly.

“Well, now you know me, Louis! How’d you get in here?” Niall asked, the question phrased conversationally enough that it didn’t make Louis self conscious. 

“I, um, I got asked at the supermarket. Lou asked me?” Louis said, phrasing his sentences as questions, unsure of whether or not that was the right answer.

Niall slapped the table, causing Louis to jump a bit. “Oh, you’re Louis! I heard about ya from Lou, mate. We’re glad ya came! Would ya like to go see her, I’m sure she’d be happy to see ya. Let’s go!”

Louis nodded, realizing the question was more of a command. Niall’s eyebrows rose at the full picture that he saw once Louis stood up. The boy couldn’t have been more than 5’3 on a good day, his shirt and bathing suit baggy. 

“Oh, Lou. And we’re gonna get ya a new bathing suit,” Niall said as they walked towards the mansion. Louis’ face went bright red at Niall’s words, knowing how underdressed he was compared to the Irishman. 

Louis stayed quiet as they walked inside, observing the men and women littered around the property. His stomach dropped as they got closer to the house, a circle of chairs that housed Harry Styles and Zayn Malik were poolside, stationed close to the backdoor of the house. A waiter stood by the group, seemingly waiting to answer any order that they were given.

“Niall, where you goin’ mate?” a British accent called from the group causing the six people who sat around the table to turn towards Niall and Louis.

“Oi, I’m going to grab Lou, she’s been waiting for this one here,” Niall said, pointing to Louis who turned bright red once more and looked down.

“All right, don’t be too long. We’ll miss ya,” the same British accent called out. 

“Clingy arses,” Niall mumbled under his breath as he held the door open for Louis. Harry continued to look at the door that the pair had just vanished into, wondering who the person that Lou had been waiting for was. He’d never seen the man at one of his pool parties before; he’d remember that face. 

“Harry, are you even listening?” Kendall asked, rolling her eyes at him. 

“Yeah,” the alpha said, returning to the conversation. Oh well. Lots of beautiful betas were paraded around his property every Saturday; he’d get a chance to meet the lad sooner or later. 

Once inside, Niall made an executive decision. “All right, Lou can wait. Let’s get you some better swim shorts.”

Louis was dragged to a huge- when he says huge, he means size of five of his apartments huge- closet filled with everything a person could want.

“What is this?” Louis asked in awe as he spun himself around slowly, trying to drink the room in. 

“This is my palace. I’m Wardrobe Manager for Playboy, so I can give ya some good suggestions and some outfits to take home.” 

“Wow,” Louis breathed.

“Let’s see here. Give it to me straight, Lou; what kind of clothes do you have at home? Plain? High fashioned? Target? Nordstrom?” the Irishman asked as he moved like a tornado around the room. 

“I don’t have much,” Louis admitted, “I just moved here, never needed much.”

Niall clucked his tongue, “That will never do, little one. Good old Niall will get you all set up. First, let’s get you some good swimsuits. Hmm.. nice arse, tiny waist. These will be perfect, go ahead, try them on, let me pat myself on the back,” Niall said, speaking quickly as he continued to move. He threw a swimsuit at Louis. The boy raised his eyebrows at the feeling of the silken material and the cherry red color of the swim shorts. 

“Go ahead, change, nothing I haven’t seen before,” Niall said without looking as if he could sense Louis’ confusion and discomfort over where he was supposed to change.

Louis stretched his t-shirt out to cover himself as he changed, self-conscious over the fact that no one had seen him naked since he was a little boy. Louis moved in front of a mirror that was hung on the wall, encompassing the entire wall from carpet to ceiling. He gasped at what he saw, surprised that a swimsuit could make him look so good. As Niall predicted, the swimsuit looked amazing, fitting his body in a way that none of his clothes did. His wardrobe was full of baggy jeans and t-shirts, his mother always buying him his clothes. 

“I really like them. Thank you, Niall,” Louis said quietly, a smile playing on his face.

“You look great, just great. Knew it,” Niall murmured, pleased.

“I don’t have any money to pay for them, though,” Louis admitted quietly. 

Niall barked out a laugh, “You’re not paying me for anything, Loubear. I’m helping you reach your full potential. You won’t get rid of me that easily. We’re going to get you a full wardrobe and a haircut; you’ll feel much better here. I know how overwhelming a place like this is. Trust me on this; most people started out at the same place as you, not knowing Versace from John Cena by Kohls,” Niall said with an exaggerated shudder.

“I really appreciate it, Niall. I can get a job once I have some nice clothes, too. You’re helping me out a lot,” Louis admitted. He didn’t know what it was about Niall, but the man made him feel at home. He wondered if he would have tons of friends like Niall if he was allowed to go to school and play in the neighborhood with other kids while growing up.

“No thanking me, that’s what friends are for, Lou,” Niall said with a smile, “Now, we’re going to go see Lou, have fun in the pool, come grab some clothes to get ya started, and then plan a trip to the mall.”

Louis nodded like a bobblehead, wanting to go along with whatever the beta wanted to do. He knew Niall was someone that could help him get to where he wanted to be, Niall would help him prove his mom wrong.

Week after week, Louis continue to receive invitation to the Saturday pool parties, an email from Lou coming in every single Wednesday at 2pm on the dot. Louis stopped worrying about whether or not he was going to get invited after the 5th week. His worries shifted to whether or not he was going to make rent with the job he’d gotten as a cashier at Whole Foods. He knew that he’d never have to pay for his activities on Saturday, he wouldn’t have to pay for food or transportation. Paul would pick Louis up every Saturday and he’d eat enough food to suffice until Sunday evening, sometimes even Monday. It was a tough life not having three square meals a day with snacks as he would if he lived at home, but it was for the good of his life. He continued to tell himself that, and he continued to see the gifts that the mentality brought with it.

Niall stayed true to his word and took Louis shopping, not letting the boy pay, saying it was his welcome to LA gift. Louis couldn’t argue, Niall’s stubbornness on par with an alpha’s. The beta would come say hello to Louis on Saturdays, but tended to stay with Harry’s inner circle. Louis had made his own friends, a beta named Josh who lived at the mansion becoming someone Louis was extremely close with. Josh didn’t treat Louis any differently even though he and Zayn were the only male omegas at the mansion every single week. It was something that Louis loved. Working at Whole Foods every day meant that Louis was constantly looked at strangely, as if people couldn’t believe that a male omega really existed. Toddler alphas would point to Louis and tell their parents that he was an omega, their parents apologizing profusely at their children’s behavior. Eventually, Louis drowned it out; he needed the job for money, and that was that. He was finally witness to the treatment that his mother wanted to keep him away from, but he could handle it.

The payoff for the long hours spent at work and the conversations had every week at the pool parties came on Louis’ 15th pool party. Louis was surprised to see Lou come over to his table and pull him inside. Lou never attended the pool parties, too busy doing whatever an executive assistant to one of the richest men in the world did. 

“Is everything okay?” Louis asked quietly as he sat in a leather chair across from where she sat at her desk.

She smiled magnificently, “Everything is great, love. What would you think about moving into the mansion?” 

Louis’ jaw dropped, the omega sputtering as words would not leave his mouth. He took a deep breath before trying to speak again. “What? Please explain yourself.”

Lou let out a loud laugh that she had been holding in at the boy’s reaction. “Mr. Styles has asked if you would like to move in. As you know, there are eight playmates that live here. You, of course, are not a playmate, but there is a possibility that you could be eventually. You’ll get a salary for living in and attending mandatory events, and you’ll have a chance to shoot and become a playmate. I can’t guarantee anything, but Mr. Styles is quite adamant about asking you to move in, so I’d say your chances of shooting are good.”

Louis felt like he was going to faint. A playmate? Four months into moving to LA? It was like all of his wildest dreams were coming to fruition with the snap of his fingers.

“Yes, yes, a million times yes! Thank you so much, Lou. Thank you,” Louis said, eyes tearing up as he thought about how much this meant to him. Damn omega hormones. 

“C’mere love, of course. You’ll give the others a run for their money, so just try and watch your back,” Lou said gently, the warning evident in her voice. Louis knew the looks he got from other playmates, both those who lived in and those who didn’t. He didn’t quite understand why they were so upset with him, why they thought he was a threat; he hadn’t even talked to Mr. Styles yet, not more than a hello!

Louis hugged Lou tightly, the woman telling him she’d send him paperwork that he’d need to fill out before next Saturday. The omega smiled as he headed outside, overexcited to let Josh know that he’d soon be moving in with him. Before Louis could head over to Josh, he heard Niall call his name out from his circle of chairs.

There was a pit of nervousness in his stomach as he headed over to the group. Did he thank Harry? Did Harry actually know who he was? It was hard for him to wrap his head around the fact that Harry wanted him to move in without ever having a long conversation, but he wouldn’t question it.

“Hey Nialler,” Louis said, giggling as the man pulled him onto his lap. 

“Well, did Lou give ya the big news?” Niall asked excitedly, winking at Harry whose jaw was clenched at the sight of Louis on Niall’s lap. The man was intrigued by the boy, figuring out he was an omega a few weeks into his appearances. He almost punched Niall when the man casually mentioned that Louis was an omega, wondering why the hell he wasn’t privy to that information the first day that Louis showed up.

“She did,” Louis said, mustering the courage to speak to Harry. The omega looked at Harry from under his eyelashes before speaking in a soft voice, “Thank you so much for allowing me this chance, Mr. Styles. I’m very grateful for your kindness.”

Harry tried not to growl possessively in reaction to the small omega’s words and the submissive way in which he looked at him. Knowing he’d be in bed reminiscing on the way Louis called him Mr. Styles later, Harry closed his eyes and tried to breathe.

“Of course,” Harry said in his deep, low voice, “We’ll be happy to have you here. I look forward to getting to know you.”

Louis nodded, blushing at being addressed by such an attractive, unmated alpha. 

“I’ve got to head to work, Nialler, I was called in because someone got sick. I’ll see you later,” Louis said, pressing a quick kiss to the beta’s cheek. The show of affection had everyone laughing besides Liam and Harry, Liam knowing how angry he’d be if he saw Zayn kissing Niall before they were together, and Harry because of how comfortable Louis was with Niall. He thought of the pros and cons to talking to Louis every Saturday, but ultimately decided against it. He didn’t want to give the boy that he didn’t know the wrong impression, and he didn’t want other playmates and attendees to have it out for Louis due to Harry’s attention. He could wait until he asked Louis to move in, which he also thought about extensively. Niall and Zayn ultimately convinced him to have Louis move in. Zayn wanted another omega around, and who was Harry to tell him no? Zayn was Harry’s moneymaker and one of his best friends; he couldn’t resist an omega’s pout, especially when Liam would kill him if he did. Harry took a deep breath, not wanting to get into it with Niall. His senses were flooded with the cinnamon and chocolate scent that he knew to be Louis, and smiled to himself. Two weeks and Louis would be moved in, his anticipation would finally be over. He wouldn’t have to rely on Lou and Niall for stories about the sweet, shy, funny omega; he’d be able to experience his personality himself. 

\---------------------------------------------------  
Louis finished putting his meager amount of belongings away in less than an hour, choosing only to bring his sweats and the clothes that Niall had purchased him to the house. Niall promised him that he’d take him shopping once he moved in, knowing that Louis was ill equipped to go on the outings that living in the mansion would eventually require of him. Lying down on his freshly made bed, Louis let out a sigh. This was a whole new ballgame, a type of socialization that he’d only had in small doses. He never got to go to school, meet new people, meet alphas. He was completely new to this, and he hoped that Josh would help him meet others and pave a path forward as a resident of the mansion.

The door slamming open woke Louis from his thoughts, the omega quickly sitting up to see his roommate enter the room. Louis could barely breathe as Zayn walked in, wondering how he would treat him.

“Hey mate, sorry if I woke you. Forgot you were moving in today! M’name’s Zayn,” He said, moving to extend a hand to Louis from where he was sitting ramrod straight on the bed.

“Hi, I’m Louis. It’s so nice to meet you. I was worried I’d be with a beta or an alpha,” Louis admitted, knowing a fellow omega would understand his worries.

Zayn laughed, “Oh, mate, don’t worry about that. Harry would never do that to ya, his mama would have his head.”

Louis’ ears pricked in interest at that sentence. Mama was a term used to reference the male omega that is mated to a female alpha, the mama carrying the couple’s pups. Louis realized that he didn’t know much about Harry’s family, only knowing that he had an alpha sister.

“That’s good to know,” Louis admitted, “Never really been around non-family alphas, so I wasn’t too sure.”

“I feel ya on that. Don’t worry about anything, I’ll be here to help you get comfortable.” 

“I appreciate it,” Louis said with a genuine smile. He was happy to know that his roommate- his idol, admittedly- was here to help him. Male omegas have to stick together, right?

\--------------------------  
Louis only had a month with Zayn before the omega moved out to live with his promised-mate, Liam Payne. Liam was the owner of Hollywood Records, the biggest record label in the world. Harry had actually introduced Zayn and Liam at one of his pool parties, and the men had hit it off from there. Harry was extremely sad to see Zayn go, but the omega promised that he’d be around to help with anything that Harry needed.  
Zayn kept good on his promise of helping Louis acclimate, the omega making friends with the staff and a few of the playmates. Zayn told him not to worry about the fact that some of the residents did not take well to there being another omega. Seeing a male omega was disorienting, especially when you were fighting one for a job. Male omegas had an allure that couldn’t be bought or put on with all of the make up in the world. Louis’ sweet and shy demeanor charmed everyone, including Zayn. The other omega often voiced concern to Liam about what Louis’ life was like before he came here, some comments Louis made about his life and simply seeing the way that Louis reacted in many situations make it evident that Louis was not well versed in the ways of the world. Liam simply reminded Zayn that Louis needed a friend, and there was no better friend for the omega than another omega. Other than their status, Louis and Zayn hit it off extremely well. Louis was enraptured by Zayn’s collection of superhero comics and movies, never having seen them while he was living with his mum. 

Having Zayn move out was extremely upsetting, leaving Louis in a funk for the weeks following his departure. Being alone had Louis reverting into his head, questioning everything about himself, his self worth, and what he was actually doing here. His questions were halted when Preston came to him and told him that Harry wanted to see him after dinner that evening. 

Louis had still not spent any time with Harry, the man extremely busy with the new hotel he was building in Las Vegas almost being finished. Zayn promised that Harry would be around more and actually come to meals once the hotel was opened in a few weeks. 

Smiling at Preston, Louis let him know that he would make his way to Harry’s private living room to see him later that evening. It was time for Louis to meet the elusive man that he’d seen so much of and heard so much about.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for showing so much love to the first chapter!! I appreciate it so so much! I realize that some people might not know what Playboy is, so here's a little breakdown:
> 
> Playboy is a magazine/empire that was created by Hugh Hefner. A playboy is someone who has a lot of money and spends time with multiple women instead of working. A Playmate is a woman (or a man, in case of my fic) that is granted a permanent spot in the Playboy family. In my case, I'm just using it as someone who Harry considers to be someone who's proven their worth to the brand and is given spots in most every magazine and appears at most public events. Playboy in my fic is a lot like it is in real life in terms of the brand, but I'm thinking more early 2000s in terms of popularity. Hotels, magazines, public appearances, movie cameos, public allure, all of that jazz. Playboy is known throughout the world and Harry/those who frequently appear in the magazines are very famous! 
> 
> Harry is, of course, not 90 years old like Hugh Hefner (creator of Playboy) is. Playboy is not a nude magazine like it is in real life. I go into the reasons that Harry created it in this chapter! He also does not sleep with all of the people who live in the mansion either.
> 
> If there are any questions left unanswered by the end of this chapter, please let me know! :)

“What do I wear, though? What do I do when I go to his room? What do you do with a gorgeous alpha?” Louis asked, questions getting more and more hysterical as he continued to speak.

“Lou, calm down. I told you that Harry’s a good guy, he probably just wants to talk about having you shoot, you’ve been here for a while and proved your loyalty at Saturday parties,” Zayn said, trying to calm his friend down. He wished he was there to cuddle with Louis, the soothing properties of omega cuddles both magical and immensely helpful. 

“Okay, okay. But that doesn’t help me figure out what I should wear,” Louis whined quietly.

“Put on those light blue panties we bought last week, Harry won’t see them, but you’ll feel good,” Zayn said.

Louis let out a choking noise, face getting red even though no one was around to see him, “Zayn! You said that was between us.”

“Oh love, don’t get embarrassed, you know how beautiful you look in panties. Put on your black lulus and your light blue sweater. Knowing my underwear and shirt match always makes my day a bit better.”

Louis sighed, “Okay, love you Z. I’ll text you after if I’m not dead.”

Zayn scoffed, “So dramatic. You’ll be fine, Loubear. Fingers crossed that we get to shoot together!”

“If I could only be so lucky,” Louis said. If he could shoot with Zayn he would be overjoyed. Even though the omega was now one of his best friends, he continued to look up to him. Zayn had been socializing in the real world for years and always had advice for Louis. Once the blue-eyed omega came clean to Zayn about his life, the older omega became even more protective and sympathetic of the boy and his actions. Louis was three years younger than Zayn, and he was the sibling that he never had. He took the responsibility of protecting and teaching Louis the ways of the world very seriously, and would’ve never let him go to the room of an alpha that he didn’t trust. He knew that Harry would take care of him.

After Louis hung up, he grabbed the exact pair of panties that Zayn was talking about. Not that he’d ever tell the other omega. Niall, Zayn, and Louis had gone shopping, and Louis’ jaw dropped as he looked at the pink haven that Victoria’s Secret was. Niall explained that there was no male-o specific lingerie, but the size of their genitalia would fit into female lingerie without issue. 

Louis loved his mom, but she kept him sheltered from most, if not all, of the sexual differences and intimacies that each gender had. He knew about his heat, of course, as he went through it every two months. He did not, however, know that there were ways to remedy his pain, including touching himself. He also found out that his genitalia was extremely different in size than Niall’s when the man changed out of his bathing suit before showering.

Niall and Zayn took it in stride, not laughing at the distraught omega as they went over the aspects of life that he knew nothing about. Louis exited the conversation feeling confused at the difference between the world in which he lived and the world his mom taught him he lived in. His sexual urges during heat were normal, and it was remarkable that he never acted on them. His penis was small due to the fact that he was an omega; he could not impregnate someone, so there was no need for him to have a large appendage. The conversation was embarrassing, but he was forever grateful that he had friends that were willing to guide him through this crazy world that he found himself in. 

The men encouraged him to try on lingerie, and coaxed him into buying as many types of underwear that he wanted. Grateful wasn’t word enough, nor could he thank his friends enough. He was still learning, but he was growing more confident in himself and his place in the world everyday. 

Once dressed in a pair of black leggings and a light blue sweater, Louis headed out to meet Harry. Even though he had lived in the house for almost two months, he still got lost when straying from his usual path. It was that big. Thankfully, though, he knew where Harry’s quarters were because they made up the entire fourth floor of the mansion. Louis knew from conversations with Niall and Lou that he had his own private meeting quarters as well as his own kitchen and dining room. The perks of Harry’s wealth were shown throughout the mansion and the events that Harry put on week after week. 

As he made his way from the third floor to the fourth, Louis felt his stomach start to drop. He had never been in a room alone with an unmated alpha, let alone one as attractive and charismatic as Harry. He had no doubt that he’d say something stupid, or worse, seize up and not say anything at all. He wanted to be able to show Harry how grateful he was for this opportunity, but the nervousness over being alone with an alpha was all his brain could process.

“Omega Tomlinson,” Preston said with a smile as Louis made his way to where the butler stood at the top of the stairs.

“Hi Preston,” Louis said, cheeks cherry red at the formality the man always used to address him. 

“Mr. Styles is awaiting your arrival, if you’ll follow me to his private lounge. Can I get you a drink?”

“No thank you,” Louis said with a smile. Preston knocked on the double doors twice before opening one of them, revealing a large, modern looking room. Harry was sat on a leather reclining chair that wasn’t reclined, CNN playing on mute. 

“Thanks, Preston,” Harry said with a nod at the beta as he shut the door behind Louis.

In all of his shy glory, Louis stood at the entrance of the room and twiddled his fingers while waiting for Harry to address him. Could he have been more awkward? No, definitely not, but who could blame him? Louis’ panic attack was staved off by Harry addressing him, the alpha standing up and moving towards Louis. The tall man was wearing his signature tight black jeans and a light blue button up, curls hanging down to his shoulders. Louis couldn’t help but want to text Zayn that him and Harry were color coordinating, knowing his friend would tell him it’s fate. 

“Omega Louis, thank you for coming,” Harry said with an easy smile. 

Louis blushed bright red. He shouldn’t have been caught off guard at Harry referring to him in such a professional way; it was clear he didn’t often interact with male omegas outside of his mama. He’d let it slide since he didn’t have the courage to tell Harry to call him Louis. Not yet.

“Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Styles. Your generosity too me is a bit overwhelming,” Louis admitted, unable to look the alpha in the eyes.

“Please, call me Harry.”

Louis took that as his out, “Then please call me Louis.”

Harry chuckled, “Just wanted to be sure. My mama would have my head if I wasn’t the gentleman he taught me to be.”

Louis smiled at the man, taking his lead and followed him to the couch. He was relieved when Harry sat back in the leather chair instead of joining him on the couch. It saved him from the awkward encounter of sitting either too close or too far from Harry, not knowing how much eye contact to make, and not knowing how to be in that close of proximity to an alpha in general. Cross-gender relationships were hard work. 

“So, Louis, I wanted to apologize for not checking in with you sooner. It’s been quite busy around here, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Between planning the holiday issue and making sure the new hotel is ready for its grand opening I feel like I haven’t had time to breathe,” Harry admitted.

The omega couldn’t help the way his eyes widened in shock at Harry’s concern for him. Regardless of how long he’d been in proximity to Harry, the man still seemed larger than life and aloof. He was always on the move, Lou or one of his assistants whispering in his ear about where he needed to head next, what important person he needed to say hi to, or what problems he needed to address.  
Louis couldn’t fathom that Harry had a spare second to think about him, let alone a desire to.

Realizing that he was taking an uncomfortably long time to reply, Louis quickly spoke up. “Don’t worry about me, you’re the busy one. Don’t feel bad,” Louis said, wanting nothing more than to quell the alpha’s worries and smooth the crease between his brows.

Harry smiled softly, endeared by the omega’s attempts to placate him. It was a scene he’d seen play out between his mama and mom time and time again. His mom taught him to never let an omega bear an emotional burden on his behalf because that’s what omegas tended to do. It was in their nature to be caregivers, and seeing an alpha in distress was deeply disturbing to their instincts.

“Still feeling bad,” Harry said with a chuckle, chest puffing out a bit when Louis laughed with him. “I’m hoping I can make it up to you, though. I’d like to get to know you better; you’ve wrapped Zayn and Niall around your finger, and let me tell you, that’s no easy feat. What brought you out to Los Angeles?”

Louis thought over his options in his head. He could lie, but risk that Harry already knew about his past from either Zayn or Niall. He could tell the truth and completely freak Harry out. Weighing the possibilities in his mind, the omega came to a conclusion and started to speak in a quiet voice as Harry hung onto his every word.

“I grew up with a beta mom and three older alpha sisters. I got what I now know as the typical male-o treatment- homeschooling and never being let out of the house. It sounds silly, but watching Zayn flourish made me think that I could do something with my life. 

So I saved up money from my birthdays and holidays; it wasn’t as if I could go shopping anyways, I only left my house a few times a year and I was always with one of my sisters. I came to LA and hoped for the best. I know it was stupid and impulsive, but it was either take a chance or be mated off to some rich, stuff alpha. That wasn’t a life I wanted, not yet. I wanted to learn what the world was like for myself, not as the trophy of some man or woman.”

Harry, fortunately, was a bit prepared for this conversation. Niall finally caved after Harry asked about the omega fifteen or twenty times. The beta teased him mercilessly for his interest, Harry always replying that he had the right to know about someone who was visiting- and eventually living- his property. Niall succumbed to his pout and let him in on a bit of Louis’ history. But to know the depth of Louis’ past, the pain and fear he felt at possibly living a full life under the will of other people, was something else entirely.

The alpha swallowed before looking into Louis’ cerulean eyes, “It’s both hard for me to understand why a family would feel the need to hide their child away and impossible for me to comprehend why male-o’s are treated as terribly and pet-like as they are. If we could all just remember that those around us are sentient beings then I think we could be a lot better off.

I want you to know that you will always be treated as an equal here, because that’s what you are. Now that Zayn left you’re the only omega, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, but that means nothing. If you ever feel uncomfortable or that you’re being treated unfairly, please contact Lou immediately.”

Louis smiled gratefully, “Thank you, Harry. Everyone’s been absolutely welcoming since I started coming here. I feel lucky.”

“I wouldn’t want it to be any other way,” Harry said, his alpha content knowing that the omega he desired was pleased with his living accommodations. “Now, I was wondering if you were willing to do a spread for the holiday issue. I think it’s the perfect time to make your debut; it’s our most popular magazine from year to year, and since it’s a double issue we can get a few photo spreads in as well as an intro interview.”

“I would love that if you think I’m ready. I’ve never modeled, so as long as you don’t think I’ll mess it up,” Louis said, self-conscious as he thought about the fact that his face and gender would be broadcast to the world.

“You were born ready, Louis. Besides, you’re coming to the hotel opening next week, so the public will get their first glimpse of you then. Nothing to worry about, little one.”

Louis blushed at the term of endearment. Or was it just Harry speaking the truth? The man was almost 14 inches taller than him; Louis’d consider it a term of endearment, something to think about before he went to bed.

“Then I’d love to. Niall’s already got me practicing my pout so that I’d be ready whenever I was called to do a shoot,” both men laughed. 

“You’d think Niall was a director and not my wardrobe manager,” Harry said, shaking his head. 

“He’d be more than happy to do both, I think he’s just waiting for you to say the word.”

“We’d be out of business in a month, all of the playmates would quit. God love him, but he’s a bit honest. Too honest.” 

Louis nodded, “Believe me, I know. The first time we met he said it was clear I didn’t know the difference between Versace and John Cena by Kohls. I take offense to that now that I know the difference.”  
Harry let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head at the thought of Niall saying that. “He pretends he doesn’t like taking you to the dark side. He’ll be overjoyed knowing he gets to style you for a shoot.”

Louis let out a yawn involuntarily, stifling it as best as he could. He smiled apologetically, waving his hand. “Senior citizen over here, I can’t seem to make it past 10pm.”

“No shame in that, if I could sleep more than three hours a night, I’d be overjoyed.”

It was like ice water had been suddenly thrown on him; Louis stiffened, remember who he was talking to, and, more than that, whose time he was taking up.

“O-oh, I’m sorry for taking up your time. I appreciate you checking in on me,” Louis said, smiling once more at the man and beginning to stand up.

Harry couldn’t help the slightest bit of alpha command that laced his words, “No, please stay a while longer.”

Louis immediately sat back down, the butterflies in his stomach quickly vanishing at the man’s reassurance that Louis wasn’t unwanted, the alpha command a familiar action from his childhood. Learning how to deal with the urge to please an alpha was tough. He found himself simultaneously wanting never to speak so that there was no chance he’d upset Harry and never wanting to shut up in order to put a smile on Harry’s face. 

“I was thinking I could give you some specifics on the holiday shoot,” Harry said, continuing to speak at Louis’ nod, a blissful smile on the omega’s face that could only follow an alpha command or being put into omega space. “We usually tend to go a bit more abstract, but this year we’ve received many requests for a traditional holiday shoot. Snow, reindeer, sitting around the fire- the whole 9 yards.”

Louis smiled, “That sounds like fun. How long until the first snow? Will we start shooting as soon as snow begins to fall?”

Harry bit back a bark of laughter at the boy’s question, as he knew he didn’t know any better. “Oh, love, I forgot to mention that. It doesn’t snow in Los Angeles; we’ll have to use fake snow.”

The omega pouted a bit, “That won’t be as fun, but I should’ve guessed. I mean, it is 75 degrees in October.”

“We only see two seasons out here; summer, and slightly less warm summer. You get used to it after a few years.”

“Did you grow up in LA?” Louis asked, eager to know more about Harry’s background.

“I did, yeah. My mom owns and operates hotels and resorts, took over from my grandpa. She actually met my mama while she was on business in St. Kitts out in the Caribbean. Mama and my grandparents were vacationing, but my mom never let him go. She was willing to move out to Los Angeles, as mama’s parents were never going to let him move away. A few months later they had Gemma, my older sister, then they had me, and that was history. It’s nice to live out here with my family so close. I think I’d lose my mind without them.”

“Sounds like you’re close with them,” Louis observed, “Why’d you decide to create your own business empire when you could’ve inherited your mom’s?”

Harry stopped for a second before speaking; it was something Louis noticed the alpha doing a lot, and he appreciated it. Every word that came out of Harry’s mouth had intent; Louis had first noticed it when he used to hide under his covers watching videos of Harry on his sister’s computer. 

“Well, my sister Gemma is an alpha as well and it was established that she would take the reigns when my mom retires. I remember how often we got into fights over it when I was younger, so to appease me my mom said we could become equal partners. The older I got, the more I realized that there was a gap in the world that I wanted to fill.

The ideas that sexuality is verboten and confidence is shameful have always irked me, and I wanted to put a publication into the world that would help change people’s minds. Playboy has helped put forth dialogues and images that needed to be in the world. Take Kendall and Cara for example; they’re the first alpha couple to ever speak up and out about their relationship and why A-O relationships didn’t work for them. The fact that people think seeing skin before marriage is a cardinal sin is ludicrous. Our naked and natural bodies are beautiful, and if people were more open about them then there’d be a lot more confidence to go around. At least I think. My hope is that instead of treating traditionally taboo subjects with disgust, people will look at the magazine and think twice.”

Louis’ eyebrows were sky-high. He’d never heard the reasoning behind why Harry created Playboy, but hearing his explanation made him fall more in love with it. 

“Wow, I don’t know what to say besides I’m glad there are people like you around to help out those who don’t have a way to voice their opinions or are too scared to. Coming from someone your work has helped, it means the world,” Louis said. For the millionth time since he walked into the room, he felt worried that he’d said too much. And for the millionth time, Harry quelled his worries with his response.

Harry’s smile was effervescent, “It sounds so cheesy, but knowing I’ve helped at least one person makes all of the long hours and stress worth it. I’m certain you’ll like living here, and I hope the experiences you have will help you live the life you want to live.”

Louis couldn’t help the yawn that he emitted, his cheeks blushing. “I’m so sorry.”

Harry smiled softly at the omega, knowing he should send him off to bed. It was easy for the alpha to see that the omega’s breathing was evening out, his eyes getting heavier and heavier with every soft word he spoke. As much as Harry didn’t want the boy to leave, he hated being the reason he wasn’t sleeping.

“No worries, little one. I think it’s time you head to bed.”

Louis nodded, standing up and following the alpha to the door. The omega looked up at the alpha that was almost three heads taller than him. He didn’t know why he felt so turned on at the difference between himself and Harry. He’d never been into the muscular alphas he’d seen in advertisements, but Harry was well defined and looked like he could put up a good fight if need be. Not that Louis didn’t know it before he moved to California, but he was even surer of it after tonight; Harry was the perfect alpha.

Harry looked down at Louis, knowing his dreams would be full of bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and the scent of cinnamon and chocolate. “Have a good night, Louis. I’ll see you soon.”

“Goodnight, Harry. Thank you for everything,” Louis said, leaving with one last smile. Feeling a jolt of confidence, he swayed his hips as he made his way to the stairs. Zayn and Niall were, in their words, helping him tap into his “omeganess”, as Niall called it, both for the pursuit of an alpha and the success of himself as a playmate. He couldn’t help but hope Harry watched him walk away.

Harry had to restrain himself from following the omega to the staircase in the hopes of getting another glance at him. As soon as Louis was out of sight he shut the door and groaned. He was absolutely fucked. 

Growing up with a male omega for a parent normalized the idea of the gender for him. He knew he was gay by the time he was ten, never quite interested in the girls who giggled all moony eyed over his curly hair and bright green eyes. He would never forget the week that he presented as an alpha, not that it came as a surprise to anyone. He was ten years old, and suddenly he had the whole world on his shoulders. Despite being young, he knew that meant he would be a prospective owner of his mom’s company. His poor, adolescent brain was about to blow up, so he decided to tackle the things he could deal with. He started by telling his mama that he liked boys. Unfortunately, the conversation did not pan out the way he wanted it to. Mama cuddled him to his side, all nice and warm in his parents’ bed before explaining in the gentlest way possible that there were approximately 2 male omegas for every 1000 people. He knew how smart Harry was, but getting his hopes up of finding true love was hard.

Harry still thought back to that day, guilt plaguing his mind at the hazy memory of his mama’s red eyes, his mom treating her omega even gentler and more loving than usual. It was clear that his mama’s love for him and Gemma was greater than anything in the world, so as an adult he now understood how painful it had to be for him to dash Harry’s hopes at such a young age.

When he’d met Zayn, Liam had already staked a claim on him. The male omega was the first Harry had ever met, and he was surprised when he realized that he wasn’t instantly attracted to Zayn. It wasn’t that the omega wasn’t stunningly beautiful, because that was an understatement. It was as though his body and brain knew he wasn’t the one for him. Fast forward three years and here Harry was, cock hardening in his jeans as he thought about the omega that just left and inhaled the enticing scent that had been filling the room for the last two hours. 

As an alpha that was a little over ten years older than Louis- yes, he checked out his records, he had to vet those who moved in. And yes, maybe he was flat out nosy and curious- and a person who wasn’t sheltered and hidden away for the first twenty years of their life, his social capital was on a completely different playing field than Louis’. Zayn and Niall let him know that they were slowly teaching the boy the ways of the mansion and the world in general. Harry wanted a part in teaching Louis, but he didn’t want to take advantage of him. The question, though, was where to draw the line between what was okay and what wasn’t? Taking a second to breathe, Harry knew what he needed to do; he needed to go talk to his mama.

\----------------------

“All right, let’s get you to hair and makeup,” Niall said with a smile. Louis was surprised he wasn’t genuinely skipping, Niall’s excitement almost too much for him to bear. Granted, it did help to calm his nerves knowing that his friend had so much faith in him, but still. He was shooting for the holiday issue of Playboy magazine. Him, Louis Tomlinson; it was okay for him to be a bit nervous, he had no idea what he was doing.

Louis headed into the room labeled hair and makeup, relieved to see Zayn’s face since Niall seemed to disappear on the way to the room.

“Hey babes, ready to get more beautiful?” Zayn asked him as his thick, black hair was brushed and blow-dried. Niall informed him that the first look was a group shot- ten or so playmates, plus Louis, would be doing various “Christmassy” things.  
“Born ready,” Louis said with a weak smile. Zayn waited while Louis got his hair and makeup done, blabbering on about how difficult it was to make both his and Liam’s families happy when it came to planning Thanksgiving. Louis appreciated both the conversation and Zayn. He didn’t know what he’d do without the omega.

Once he was all made up, they headed over to wardrobe together, both wondering what Niall had in store for them. The shoot was set in the Playboy warehouse, a huge space that was easily manipulated and changed for every shoot that was had. It was big enough to house 10-15 sets at once in the 4-story building.

“My stars! Come in, come in,” Niall said with a huge smile, shushing Nick, an alpha who was often featured in the magazine, scoffed, affronted at Niall’s blatant favoritism. 

“What do ya have for us, Ni,” Zayn asked curiously as they walked into the room. 

“For you, we’ve this,” Niall said as he handed a stack of clothes to Zayn, “Here you go, Lou. Go ahead, put it on.”

Louis waited until Nick walked out of the room before getting dressed, uncomfortable at the thought of someone he’d only met in passing seeing him naked. He first put on the sweater that was on the bottom of the stack, a soft green sweater decorated with reindeer flying Santa’s sleigh. It was the exact sweater that he saw his sisters wear to Christmas parties while they were growing up. He moved back to the pile, wondering what pants Niall would have him wearing.

He groaned as he looked down to the pile and back up to Zayn. He saw the other omega dressed in a red sweater decorated with a Christmas tree, green lace panties barely visible under the length of the sweater. 

Sensing why Louis was upset, Zayn moved over. Niall didn’t speak, knowing the other omega was more likely to explain away the outfit.

“Lou, babe, you’re gonna look amazing. Do you trust Niall and Harry?” Louis immediately nodded. “Then get dressed. Let’s show these alphas and betas how we Os do it.”

Taking a deep breath, Louis put on the red panties and matching high socks. He moved towards the full-length mirror, a small smile gracing his face at how… good he looked. This was it, he knew, his life would change as soon as the first photo was snapped. 

“Just as amazing as I knew you’d look. I’m a god,” Niall said with a dramatic sigh. Louis rolled his eyes, not warranting the egotistic beta with a reply. 

Zayn entangled his fingers with the other omega’s and began to walk him out to the set, knowing it was set to start any moment. They were greeted by swath of playmates, Louis surprised to see that the best of the best were in attendance. The playmates Louis had spent the past few years idolizing were there and dressed for the same shoot he’d be in. It was impossible not to wonder if he was dreaming.

Kendall and Cara, two alphas, were the top selling female playmates; Leigh Anne, a beta who was famous in her own right, was also in attendance. Louis was happy to see Josh, Perrie, and Luke, three playmates who lived at the mansion, were also there for the shoot. He felt humbled and a bit surprised at the fact that he was taking part in a shoot that was so vital to the success of the magazine and that he was surrounded by such remarkable models.

“Hey Z, ready to ruin Christmas for your family yet again? Oh- hi, you must be Louis! I’m Kendall. It’s great to finally meet you, I feel like I see you every Saturday, but never have the chance to say hello,” the tall, brunette alpha said as she enveloped him in a hug. She had a Santa hat on her head and was dressed in a red bralette that was lined with white fur, her underwear red and high waisted. Cara stood next to her, wearing a similar outfit that was meant to mimic an elf’s garb. Their outfits were sexy without being trashy; it was why Louis liked Harry’s vision for Playboy so much. There was a fine line that was tiptoed between showing skin classily and being pornographic, and he believed that Playboy stood on the right side of the divide.

Louis laughed at the alpha’s remarks, having heard Zayn recount his parents complaining about his sexy Christmas shoots every year once the magazine was released.

“I am, it’s very nice to meet you. Saturdays are a bit crazy, I’m still getting used to them, honestly,” Louis admitted. 

Before Kendall could reply, a man’s voice rang out. “All right, everyone, let’s get set for the first scene,” a man behind a professional camera set on a tripod said. “Let’s head over to the white backdrop, we’re going to do some simple group photos first.”

There were ten of them that would take part in the shoot, Nick and a beta named Ryan who Louis had never met rounding out the group.

Louis was surprised when the photographer introduced himself, “I’m Cal,” the man said in a Midwestern accent as he reached his hand towards Louis, “I’m the photographer for most, if not all, of the Playboy shoots. Let me know if you have any questions or need anything at any point. This group is full of old hands, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you, sir, I look forward to working with you,” Louis said with a shy smile.

Cal laughed, “If all of you could learn some manners from Louis then my life would be a lot easier. All right, let’s get lined up.”

The first part of the shoot ended up being a lot less stressful than Louis had imagined. Most of the shots were candid, everyone smiling, talking, or laughing while being scrunched tightly together. Niall was the cause of laughter in most of the photos, the wardrobe manager screaming out obscenities and comments as they readied themselves for the photos. Louis and Zayn stood in the middle since they were the shortest, and Cal instructed them to be cheek to cheek in many of the photos. 

“All right, that’s a wrap on this set,” Cal said, waving over a few assistants who began to dismantle and move his camera. “Let’s move over to the living room set.”

The set looked like it belonged in a log cabin, cozy leather couches adorned with Christmas colored blankets and pillows, a large, fuzzy white rug, and a Christmas tree stationed in the corner of the room.

“We’re going to do a few shots in this room as I’m not sure what will look best. Nick and Josh, you’ll be putting ornaments onto the tree. Ryan you’re laying you’re on the rug with Luke. Louis, you’re going to be in between Cara and Kendall on the couch. Zayn, you’re on the other end of the couch with Perrie and Leigh Anne. Let’s get set up.” 

The other men were dressed in tight Christmas patterned briefs, and took off their wife beaters when instructed to before lying on the ground. Louis tried to ignore their prominent bulges and remember the anatomy lesson that Zayn gave him on the size differential between each gender.

“C’mere cutie,” Cara said as she gently pulled Louis onto the couch in between her and Kendall.

“All right,” Cal drawled as he examined the group, “First few shots, look towards Nick and Josh. Perrie, put your legs over Zayn’s. Louis, rest your head on Cara’s chest, yes, good, and Kendall rest a hand on his leg. Perfect.”

Though they were sturdy and alpha-like, Louis wished he smelled the heady, leathery scent of Harry instead of the rich floral scents the alphas were giving off. Regardless of who the alphas were, it was impossible for the omega not to get a bit dizzy when immersed in an alpha touches and scents. Sure, he’d been around Liam, but there was no attraction towards a bonded alpha. His mind seemed to pay it no mind as it did to his sisters; there was nothing there for him. Even though the alphas were together, there was no cementing an alpha-alpha bond, so Louis’ mind acted as though they were up for grabs. The omega breathed in and out through his mouth, trying to steel himself and not give into the increasingly potent scent of the alphas.

“There’s a love,” Kendall praised as she maneuvered Louis into a comfortable position against her mate. The alphas shared a look over his head as they scented the air. They knew it wasn’t Zayn they smelled since the scent was an unfamiliar one. Louis smelled like cinnamon and melted chocolate, and if either of them were attracted to omegas they knew that the smell of an omega giving off such potent, pleased pheromones would be arousing. Biology worked in strange ways, alphas smelling alpha and omega scents, omegas only smelling alpha scents, and betas smelling neither nor giving off their own scents. For an omega to be surrounded by alphas and receiving their touch after going 20 years without doing so, it was clear why Louis was reacting the way he was. They just hoped for his sake that his body didn’t react more than simply giving off his scent. 

Everything was going fine until the final pose in the living room set. 

“Perfect,” Cal exclaimed, “Everyone can take five except Kendall, Nick, Louis, and Zayn.”

The others scampered off the set quickly and headed back to the food buffet, eager to take a quick break.

“This scene is going to be a bit more intimate, we’ve been getting requests from some higher-ups to do more A-O shots, so we’re going to try it out. If Louis could get on Kendall’s lap, and Zayn if you could get on Nick’s.”

Louis blushed profusely, but calmed at the whispered praises of the alpha. His head went a bit fuzzy with her words, happy to know that he was doing okay in such a terrifying and unfamiliar situation.

“Perfect, now just pretend you’re watching TV all curled up with your mate,” Cal’s camera started to flash, the man moving around to get different angles before seeming satisfied. “Now, Zayn and Nick, stay where you are. Louis move to face Kendall while straddling her, don’t make it awkward, just relax into it. Good. Now put your head against her ches- yes, there, perfect! Kendall, now pull up his sweater a bit and put your hands into his underwear like you’re squeezing his ass, bum, whatever. Perfect. Perfect! Louis, you’re pretending to be asleep, Kendall, pretend like you’re watching the movie and comforting him while he sleeps. Nick, Zayn, watch the TV for a few and then look over and watch them. Soft smiles when you watch, nothing major. Let’s go.”

Kendall wasn’t fazed by the intimacy required, having done shoots similar with female omegas, alphas, and betas alike. She’d never shot with Zayn intimately as Liam complained to Harry until Harry stopped giving him shoots that were rated above PG-13. Not that Kendall blamed Liam, of course. Having your mate with someone else was rage inducing. She made sure Louis was okay, whispering to the omega in askance, receiving a nod in reply.

Louis didn’t know what he was. He wasn’t embarrassed, he knew what he was potentially getting himself into; and as an omega, there was no shot that they wouldn’t use him in a shoot with alphas. He felt warm and fuzzy as he sniffed Kendall’s neck, her scent the most powerful on the side of her neck where her pheromones were released. Her large, warm hand felt heavenly on his bum, and he relaxed bonelessly at her touch. He stayed still, eyes closed, as Cal directed Kendall, Nick, and Zayn to move positions. He couldn’t help the whine he let out as Kendall squeezed his left bum cheek, the feeling better than anything he’d ever felt. The feeling was heavenly, and he felt the slick that he produced when in heat beginning to leak. Before he could die of embarrassment, he stiffened when he heard the most alpha growl he’d ever heard and immediately broke position to bare his neck in submission.

“What are you doing, Cal?” Harry growled as he looked at the scene before him. The weather in Vegas had caused his plane to be delayed meaning he missed the first part of the shoot. Walking in to see another alpha with her hand down Louis’ panties- something he knew Louis had never had done to him- caused him to see red.

The alpha took a breath before looking back to Cal.

“Leon Mastoy and Dana Baker suggested that we do more A-O shots at the pre-shoot issue, so I was testing it out,” Cal said, holding his hands up. The beta knew that an angry alpha was not someone he wanted to mess with..

Harry looked to the set, seeing Louis with his neck bared in submission before speaking again. Zayn even looked a bit wide-eyed, the omega clearly affected by Harry’s growl.

“That will be enough of that,” Harry commanded, “Let’s finish up the group shoot and get Louis’ solo photos done.”

“Got it,” Cal said, Nick quickly moving up from under Zayn while Kendall helped to situate Louis on the couch and make sure he was okay before leaving him.

Harry made his way over to Louis, scenting the shift in the pheromones he was giving off. When the alpha walked in he could smell the arousal and contentedness of the omega, but the smell had shifted to burnt chocolate at the threat of an angry alpha.

Kendall raised an eyebrow at Harry, unimpressed with his lack of control in the moment. The curly haired alpha pouted at the female alpha who rolled her eyes and relinquished her spot next to Louis before grabbing Zayn and heading off the set.

“Sorry to scare you, little one. Are you all right?” Harry asked, his question loaded. He hoped that Cal, and by extension, himself, didn’t push Louis too far and that he didn’t scare the omega with his alpha-riddled display.

Louis let out a shaky breath, not looking up as he spoke. “Y-yeah, I’m okay. It’s just a lot. I was just following what Cal said to do, I’m really sorry if you’re mad. I didn’t know I did anything wrong.” The omega wanted to cry at the thought of Harry being angry, unsure of what he could have done differently. He was dubious at the thought of an alpha he didn’t know touching him, but when in the moment it was nothing. It was simply a photo shoot for a magazine, the first of what he hoped would be many, but now he wasn’t so sure.

Harry was quick to placate him, placing what he hoped was a calming hand on the omega’s upper arm and rubbing. “Love, it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. I wanted to make sure you weren’t uncomfortable or being pushed too soon. Never be afraid to speak up if you’re anxious to do a shoot.”

“I’m okay, I was a bit scared, but Kendall made me feel better,” Harry bit down a growl at the mention of another alpha. “Thank you for checking in on me, it, uh, it means a lot.” Louis smiled, looking up into the alpha’s searching green eyes. He knew his face was red, pleased at the calming touch of the alpha.”

“Never thank me for doing my job, little one. Let’s finish up this shoot, shall we?” Harry asked, standing up and extending a hand to Louis. He fought back a groan at the gorgeous picture that Louis made while standing up, the slightest bit of his lace underwear visible under his sweater. Mine, his alpha growled.

“We shall,” Louis said, a smile gracing his face. It was time for him to make a splash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't edited yet, but I will later tonight! I hope you enjoy!! Please please comment, it gives me more motivation to get y'all another chapter as quickly as I can :) Let me know your thoughts, questions, and any requests that you have!
> 
> My fic twitter is @NeedAHeroFic, so feel free to follow me or DM me on there! Thank you all <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!! I love reading your comments and they keep me motivated!! :) Please let me know your thoughts, questions, and suggestions!
> 
> I haven't edited yet, but I will later tonight! :) Happy reading!

“No, not like that! You’d think he’s never danced before,” Niall mumbled the last part under his breath, shaking his head as he leaned back on the hotel couch.

Louis promptly burst into tears at the beta’s words, upset and frustrated with how the morning had been going. Zayn, Liam, and Niall were explaining to him what he should expect at the hotel opening that evening which turned into a dance lesson. 

Zayn cooed, making his way over to where Louis had curled into himself on the hotel bed. He spared a withering look for Niall before forming a big spoon around Louis.

“Let it all out, babes, it’s okay,” Zayn said quietly, reaching an arm to rub Louis’ stomach comfortingly. Looking up at his mate, Zayn saw Liam mouth the word “heat” before pointing to his nose. Zayn nodded in understanding. “You getting close to your heat, love?”

Louis cried more at the question, “Y-yeah, my stomach hurts and I feel fat and I’m hungry and I can’t stop crying and I can’t dance and I-“

Zayn cut Louis off, “Woah woah woah, slow down Loubear, you’re the furthest thing from fat. Liam and Niall will go grab you some food right now. What would you like to eat?”

Louis hiccupped, trying to slow his tears as he spoke. “Mcdonald’s fries and a cheese pizza from Domino’s, please.”

“You heard him,” Zayn said, waving the two off without a glance. Niall was inconsiderate and Liam sat there like a dope. Zayn honestly wondered how the world continued to spin when omegas were so far and few. 

Louis focused on evening out his breathing as all of the crying and stress left him lightheaded. His heat was a normal thing, of course, but he usually faced it alone and in the solitude of his own room. He’d yet to have one at the mansion as they came every two months like clockwork. Zayn gently explained that he’d most likely start to have them every month now that he was around alphas, as his body would instinctually know there was an actual chance of him being impregnated now that he socialized with alphas.

“You okay, lovey?” Zayn asked as he continued to pet the tiny omega.

“J-just nervous and tired and about to go into heat,” Louis said as his tears continued to stream down his face.

“I know,” Zayn replied sympathetically, “Your heat will start tomorrow night just like it should when you’re all snuggled up in your bed.”

“It hurts,” Louis whined pitifully, nuzzling further into the warmth and comfort that Zayn provided. His pre-heat was usually nothing remarkable, painful, but bearable. As Zayn had explained to him, being around unmated alphas triggered his instincts, so it was likely that this was his first full heat. He knew that it wouldn’t start until tomorrow, but the effects that it had on him today were tough to deal with. He closed his eyes as Zayn began to hum, reveling in the quiet of the room. God love Niall, but the beta wasn’t the most sympathetic or understanding of omega problems. 

Zayn smiled softly when he realized that Louis had fallen asleep, happy to have calmed the younger omega down. He remembered his first heat after arriving to LA, the pain that he was worried he would have to go through. He ended up mating with Liam during that heat, the connection between the alpha and himself strong enough in the first two months that he knew Liam was the one. And that was that. But he could understand what Louis was feeling better than anyone; the omega was innocent, never even relieving himself of the pains that heat brought with them. He hoped Louis would take their conversations and instruction sessions to heart no matter how embarrassed and uncomfortable he was. 

The older omega didn’t realize that he dozed off until he felt kisses on his neck and jerked, eyes opening when he heard a soft whine from Louis.

“Sorry loves, didn’t want your food to get cold. Picked you up some of those cinnamon sticks you liked, Z,” Liam said as he moved to open the boxes of food. He laughed at how quickly the omegas got up, one would think they’d gone weeks without eating at their enthusiasm.

“I love you Liam,” Louis said through a mouthful of fries and pizza, his eyes closed as he savored the food.

“Just wait until he’s pregnant,” Zayn mumbled, receiving a laugh from Liam.

“If I wasn’t this hungry I’d throw my fries at you,” Louis said with a roll of his eyes. Pregnant, he thought, I need to find an alpha who wants me enough first. 

\-------------------  
“All right,” Zayn whispered in his ear, “When we get there we’ll stand next to Harry and take photos. Just smile and ignore anything that’s shouted at you.”

Louis nodded, squeezing Zayn’s hand that was entangled with his own. They were in a ridiculously long limousine with Kendall, Cara, Josh, Nick, and Leigh Anne on the way to the Playboy Hotel’s Las Vegas grand opening. The fact was that they were staying at the hotel, but they had to leave in a limousine out the back of the hotel and drive around for fifteen minutes while waiting for the red carpet to begin. He was dressed in a light blue dress shirt, sinfully tight dress pants, and a suit jacket. He couldn’t help but be nervous knowing what was to come. 

He’d finally gotten comfortable with the parties, lavish dinners, and vast enormity of the mansion, and then he came to Vegas and felt painfully unprepared for this life. The Las Vegas strip was unlike anything he’d ever seen, the fact that there was a hotel shaped like a pyramid, a replica Eiffel Tower, and foot long daiquiris that could be carried around outside was baffling. He was happy to be confined to the Playboy Hotel for the day when exploring Vegas was his other option. Baby steps. 

“All right,” Nadine, one of Harry’s public relations directors, said, “Omegas are in the middle next to Mr. Styles, everyone else filter in on either side. We’ll move down the carpet and then head inside to dinner then head into the club. Questions?”

Louis’ stomach was in knots at the thought of standing next to Harry when so close to his heat. He was already scarily affected by Harry’s presence and scent, and knew his heat would add a whole other level of want to what already existed. At least he knew his mind would be occupied during his heat.

“Here we go,” Nadine said as the limo stopped, Alberto- one of the many Playboy bodyguards- opened the door and opened the group to the screams and flashes of paparazzi and fans alike.

Louis was in a bit of a trance as he followed Zayn out of the vehicle, the screams and flashes almost too much for his mind to process. There were hundreds of screaming people behind metal barricades, iPhones out as they took photos and videos of the group. It was weird for Louis to think that no one knew who he was; he wondered what people thought as he walked with such a well-known group of playmates. 

He had no time to feel self-conscious, though, as he followed the group to the red carpet. They took a few photos without Harry before the photographers suddenly turned, screams filling the Las Vegas strip as the man of the hour descended from the stairs of the hotel.

“Harry! Look this way!”

“Harry! Can we come inside?”

“Harry! Who’s the new addition?”

“Harry! How are hotel sales?”

Louis couldn’t help but look on in awe as the alpha waved and smiled good naturedly, making his way over to his group of playmates. And Louis. 

Harry’s curls were pulled back into a bun, Louis’ mouth watering as he got a look at the alpha’s sharp jawline. In true Harry style, he wore tight black jeans in place of the formal dress pants everyone else was wearing, his shirt was purple with black flowers, and his jacket was tight and perfectly tailored. Louis tried to not to clue every alpha in a twenty-mile radius into how aroused he was. It was a tough job being an omega- especially one who was 24 hours away from his heat- when alphas like Harry were around. 

“Everyone looks lovely,” Harry said to the group with a small bow before moving in between Zayn and Louis. His large hand felt like a heating pad as it pressed firmly into Louis waist, the omega unable to think with the alpha in such close proximity. 

The group struck multiple poses, no need for a fake laughing photo when Niall made his way down the carpet, already drunk, and made them laugh as he questioned why he wasn’t in the photo. Needless to say, a few photos with Niall would make their way onto the Internet the next day. 

“Now one with just the omegas, Harry!” A pap shouted, a chorus of yeahs resounding through the red carpet area. Harry looked at Nadine who nodded; at her signal, the others quickly moving down the red carpet and into the hotel, relieved to no longer have to be subject to the whims of the paparazzi. 

Louis couldn’t help but feel like a bit of a pet as him and Zayn smiled next to Harry, most paparazzi screaming out how adorable the omegas were. The positive atmosphere was shattered when a lone voice rang out asking how much Harry paid for Louis and if he was renting him out.

At the last comment, Harry stiffed and protectively wrapped an arm around Louis’ waist as he guided him inside. Liam moved to guide Zayn inside, having been patiently waiting for his omega since he exited the limo.

Louis was close to tears at the insinuation that Harry paid someone for him. This was the exact kind of life and conversation he was trying to get away from, and his first public traipse lead to him being accused of exactly what he wanted to leave.

Harry held Louis tightly against his side, the omega letting off hurt pheromones that made the alpha want to go back and rip the throat out of whatever fucker made such an insensitive comment. Once inside, he led Louis to his office on the first floor and locked the door. Harry was almost as surprised as Louis was when he pulled the omega into a tight hug, Louis let out a hurt whimper that he’d been keeping in since the comment was made, Harry letting out a protective rumble instinctively. 

Louis nuzzled his head into the alpha’s chest letting the scent Harry was giving off start to comfort him. He was shaking profusely still, unable to get the words out of his head. 

“Can I help calm you down, little one?” Harry asked quietly, rubbing Louis’ back.

The omega nodded almost immediately, not knowing what would come next, but knowing he wouldn’t make it through the night if he didn’t calm down.

“That’s good, you’re handling this all so well,” Harry praised, slowly moving his hand up to cup the back of Louis’ neck.

Louis didn’t reply, letting out a happy sound as his head flooded with the praise of the pleased alpha. His sisters praised him, yeah, but it never felt like this.

“We’re going to go eat dinner now, little one. I’m going to sit right next to you and I’d like you to let me know if you want to leave. I will protect you, I promise,” Harry directed, alpha command laced in his voice. Before he could worry about whether or not he’d overstepped his bounds, Louis’ entire body perceptibly relaxed and he nodded into Harry’s chest.

“Hungry,” Louis murmured, his voice light. He knew Harry alpha commanded him, a blanket of calm and trust falling over his mind and body at his words. There was no reason for him to be scared or upset when he had an alpha that he knew would protect him and watch over him. He couldn’t help but think about how good of an alpha Harry was, how he wished that he could call him his own. He’d take what he could get for now. 

“Let’s go eat then,” Harry said with a small smile, placing his arm around the tiny omega’s waist once more as he guided him to the Emeril restaurant that was in the hotel. There were six upscale restaurants on the property, but the fact that Emeril himself came to cook the meal was the deciding factor in choosing the restaurant they’d dine at. 

They walked in companionable silence until they arrive at the restaurant, the group- that now included Lou, Nadine, Liam, and Niall- was sat at a long table and immediately stopped talking as the pair entered. Harry was grateful to see that there were two seats left open at the center of the table meaning he didn’t have to worry about Louis’ state the entire dinner. 

“Mr. Styles, it’s a pleasure to see you. May I get you both something to drink?” A beta Harry knew to be the headwaiter of the restaurant asked. 

“Two glasses of water for now and a wine list,” Harry said, not sparing a look for the man as he pushed in Louis’ chair and sat beside him. 

Those around the table knew not to look at the pair in interest, even the betas knowing not to mess with Harry when something so blatantly sexist happened at one of his events. They knew that the alpha prided himself on making the magazine and brand an inclusive and welcoming organization and environment, so for the hotel opening to start off in such a blatantly anti-omega way was upsetting.

“Here you are, sir,” Thomas, the headwater, said as he placed two glasses of water onto the table. He swallowed nervously before speaking again. “Would it be all right to let the rest of the guests into the dining room now? Take as much time as you need.”

Harry nodded, knowing that people paid a pretty penny to eat dinner in the restaurant with him on opening night. It was good publicity as well, even if the hotel was completely booked for seven months to come. He looked to see if Louis was okay, meeting Liam’s eyes as he watched their- the, he meant, omegas whispering to each other, chairs pulled close together. The smell of Louis’ pre-heat was driving him fucking insane, but there was no way that he could keep Louis locked away all night. He wasn’t his alpha and there was too much riding on the success of the night.

“Who am I to stop the festivities? Let them in,” Harry said with a smile, feeling a bit more like himself now that he knew Louis was okay. He wouldn’t let the omega leave his side, that was for sure, but the night must go on.

\-----------------------

“C’mon Lou, just one sip!” Zayn pleaded, light brown eyes open wide as he pouted. 

They were sat in a round leather booth in the hotel’s club, music blaring. Louis eyes were as wide as saucers when they walked in, Harry at the head of the group as they walked straight past the paparazzi that were waiting by a backdrop for photographs. The look Zayn gave him as it happened confirmed what he was thinking; Harry was slighting the paps on his behalf. He was warm with the thought of Harry caring that much about him, the memory of his alpha command sending shivers down his spine. 

“Lou, please!” Zayn groaned. 

“I don’t know, Z. I don’t want to do something stupid or set off my heat,” Louis explained.

“Don’t you trust me? There’s security everywhere, and,” Zayn drawled, leaning close to whisper in Louis’ ear, “Harry would never let anything happen to you, but I’m sure he’d loooove to take care of you if you got too drunk.”

“Zayn!” Louis exclaimed, pushing the omega as his face heated.

“What?” He asked innocently, a smirk on his face, “It’s true. Alphas love nothing more than flexing their muscles and taking care of their helpless little omegas. It’s kinda hot,” Zayn shrugged his shoulders, unabashed at his confession.

“You’re not okay,” Louis groaned, “But fine. Just one.”

Zayn let out a cheer, waving over the waiter who was stationed by their booth waiting for orders. Harry and Liam were off talking to others who were in the VIP section, the rest of the group off dancing together. The section had heavy security, and that was the reason Louis finally gave in; security would make sure no one bugged them. It was weak reasoning, but hey, it was a long day and when in Rome you do as the Romans do. Meaning: when in Vegas, you drink and you dance. 

“Four shots of Stolichnaya please!” Zayn said.

“Vodko?” The waiter asked, leaving when Zayn nodded with a slight eye roll. 

Four shots of vodko were immediately brought over, Zayn putting one in front of Louis. 

“We doing shots?” Niall said as he sauntered over and jumped in the large booth.

Zayn slapped the beta’s hand off of the glass, “Not for you, it’s vodko!”

Niall groaned as he called over the waiter, “Can I have three shots of Grey Goose please?”

“Coming right up, sir,” the waiter said.

Louis’ sisters and mothers didn’t drink around the house, so Louis had no idea that gendered alcohol even existed. It added another complex layer to the world that he had no idea he existed, and once again subverted omegas to the bottom of the totem pole. 

Vodko was specifically created for omegas, the proof being less of that than vodka and contained properties that eradicated any date rape drugs that were slipped into it. Zayn said he had no idea how it worked, but it did. And that was all that matters.

Betas and alphas had their pick of alcohol, vodka, rum, and tequila, whatever they wanted. Thankfully, there were different brands and flavors of vodko, but any other type of alcohol- including vodka- would go right through an omega and make them extremely sick. 

“All right, let’s do this,” Niall said as his shots were placed down on the table. 

“To Louis!” Zayn shouted, picking up a glass and looking at Louis expectedly. The omega looked at Zayn hesitantly before picking up the glass and clinking it with his two friends’.

“Ew!” Louis choked out after taking the first shot, “That’s disgusting!”

“Take another, it’ll take the taste out of your mouth,” Niall said as he picked up a shot of vodko and held it to Louis’ lips. In a moment of rebellion, Louis said screw it, and tipped the shot back. 

Louis was immediately intrigued by the way his senses seemed to sharpen and dull all at the same time. The music was louder, Zayn’s smile was brighter, but it was like his brain was functioning at half the speed it normally was. He looked over to see Harry chatting to Cara and Kendall on the dance floor, the female alphas extremely close to the laughing businessman. Louis felt a prickle of… something in his stomach, his jaw clenching at the thought of the three alphas getting together. Would they even need an omega, Louis thought? Either Cara or Kendall could get pregnant if they wanted kids, there was no need for an omega- no need for him.

His mind was at war with itself thinking about the way that Harry held him earlier, the growls that he let out, and the way he used an alpha command to help Louis calm down. Was it because he wanted him, or because he felt obligated to help? It would make sense; his mama was an omega, he would feel guilty if he didn’t help out an omega in distress. He bitterly thought about how many omegas Harry had helped out before and wondered if he was telling the other alphas how much Louis embarrassed himself when they were alone together.

Louis’ mind was blurry and traumatized as he continued to think about it; did people even mate in groups of three? He had no idea, but assumed so. Everything seemed to be legal and normal in Los Angeles, so a triad of alphas wouldn’t surprise him. 

“You good, Lou?” Zayn asked as he looked at the little omega beside him. Louis looked up slowly, eyes alight with the shine of someone who was on their way to getting drunk.

“Yeah, yeah, just thinking. Can we get s’more?” Louis asked with a smile.

“Just two more,” Zayn warned, thinking it would be okay for them to have four shots after having such a big dinner. Food lessened the impact of alcohol, didn’t it? Zayn had no idea. His subpar homeschooling didn’t get that far, he thought bitterly.

Two shots later had the omegas giggling on top of one another, Louis curled up in Zayn’s lap as they whispered in one another’s ears. Niall had given up trying to take part in the conversation and went off to chat up the beta from a movie he’d seen the month before.

“Say it!” Louis shouted at a hysterically giggling Zayn.

“Okay!” Zayn giggled, trying to get his sentence out, “The first time I was alone with Liam, he got so hard he formed a knot in his pants.”

Louis’ mouth formed an “O” momentarily before he started laughing, looking down at Zayn confusedly.

“How does that happen? You said a knot goes inside you?”

“It does, usually! His jeans were so tight and he was so hard that his brain thought he was in an omega! He didn’t talk to me for weeks after that, he was so embarrassed.”

“Sorry to interrupt you gentleman, but our bartender made you two a special o-safe shot if you’d like to try them.” Louis and Zayn both oohed as the bartender put down two pink shots, unsure of what was in them. They looked at each other and shrugged before tossing them back. Louis couldn’t remember why he was so hesitant to drink; Zayn wouldn’t persuade him to do something bad. He knew that following the older omega around like a puppy wasn’t the smartest idea, but he had no one else to turn to, so Zayn following it was.

“That was good!” Louis slurred, eyes alight with joy at the sweet taste of the shot.

“I’ll let him know,” the beta waiter said with a smile as he walked back to the bar. He was overjoyed to have gotten a job at the hotel, and knew that he’d be getting a major tip after serving the group so diligently all evening. 

“I wanna dance!” Zayn said suddenly, bouncing his legs so that Louis moved up and down in his lap.

“With me or with Liam?” Louis asked, a small pout on his face at the thought of his friend leaving him alone.

“You,” Zayn said with a snort, “Liam will have fun watching us, alphas love o on o action.”

“Okay,” Louis said happily, not really sure what Zayn was talking about. He slid out of Zayn’s lap and onto his own two feet, albeit a bit unsteadily. Zayn jumped out after him, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the dance floor.

Unbeknownst to the omegas, Liam and Harry had just come back from the dining room where they were called away by a few high-powered businessmen who had late dinner reservations. They were a bit surprised not to see the omegas in the booth, but Liam could tell through his bond that Zayn was still happy and enjoying himself. What he couldn’t sense, however, is what he saw in front of him.

“Ugh,” Liam groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Fucking vodko.”

“Hm?” Harry questioned, continuing to look around the bar as if he could even see the tiny omega who would be covered up by the taller people in attendance.  
“Looks like Z- and Louis- hit the vodko,” Liam said with a finger pointed out to the dance floor. Liam knew his omega was usually in control of himself, but the excitement of having another omega around had him getting into a bit of trouble. It was clear to Liam that Zayn wanted to impress Louis, even if Zayn didn’t realize it himself. The omegas had been raised similarly, and wanting to show Louis how fun life was, Zayn took it a bit overboard. 

“Should we go over there?” Harry asked, unsure of how to proceed. Warring parts of his mind whispered that Louis wasn’t his omega, while the other demanded for him to take Louis upstairs immediately and get him away from the unmated alphas that were looming in every corner of the club and VIP area. 

“Nah, let’s just get a drink and sit down for a minute. Zayn will kill me if I ruin his night,” Liam said sheepishly. The key to being a good alpha was knowing what your omega needed. Zayn needed structure, guidance, and protection from Liam, but he also needed room to grow and learn about the world for himself. This was a time when Zayn needed some space, and Liam would respect it. Harry nodded beside him, moving into the booth that the omegas had vacated just some time ago. 

The omegas were oblivious to the alphas return to the room, or the fact that they left in the first place, quite honestly. They were giving everyone quite a show, dancing front to front to the beat of the pop song that was playing. 

“S’there room for us?” Kendall asked as she danced up to the pair, Cara close behind.

“Of course!” Zayn exclaimed, grabbing the shorter alpha’s hand and pulling her against his back. Kendall moved behind Louis, taking ahold of his hips as he danced. The omega was jovial; he relaxed, eyes closed and body loose as he let the music wash over him. It was a foreign place and a foreign feeling; his mind was fuzzy, the floor was vibrating with the bumping bass of the music, and he had the steady touch of an alpha on his body. It was safe to say he was in a blissful state, unaware of the aroused scent he was letting off and the predatory alphas that were moving towards the group as they scented an omega- a male omega at that- about to go into heat.

Harry was sitting in the booth, unable to even pretend that he was having a good time as he tapped his foot anxiously and looked towards Louis. He could smell the omega’s arousal from twenty feet away, more flumes of pheromones coming off of the gorgeous boy every time Kendall grinded her cock into him. Harry was certain that Louis didn’t know how sinful he looked, how many alphas and beta were watching, and the scent that he was letting off at the combined touch of an alpha and beginning of his heat.

The last straw was when a pair of alphas-singers, if Harry remembered correctly- their cocks already visibly stiffening in their jeans, moved towards the group and attempted to move Kendall and Cara so that they were standing behind the omegas.

“That’s it,” Harry snapped, Liam growling and standing at the same time. The alphas quickly moved to the omegas, letting out predatory growls all the while. 

“It’s time to go upstairs, little one,” Harry growled softly, alpha command evident in his voice as he all but picked Louis up off the ground, guiding him out of the club with a firm hand around his waist.

“I was dancing!” Louis slurred, unsure of how he was already halfway to the elevator.

“And now you’re going upstairs,” Harry responded simply, in no mood to argue with the omega as images of what could have occurred played in his mind.

The elevator opened and Harry nodded to the three members of his security team that followed him before stepping into the elevator with Louis. He grabbed a master key card from Paul, giving the man a nod before pressing the button for the 27th floor where they were staying. Louis was wobbling from side to side, so he took the initiative to pull the tiny omega close to him to hold him steady.

Louis let out a pleased sigh as he was pulled against what he could only assume was Harry’s warm, delicious smelling boy. He couldn’t help but think about how good he smelled, like- like leather and grass and what he assumed heaven would smell like. 

“Thanks, little one,” Harry said as he laughed.

“D’nt mean to say it out loud,” Louis mumbled, face turning red. Harry simply wrapped an arm around Louis waist at that, holding the omega closer to him. He knew he was tiptoeing the line between doing the duties of a friend and taking advantage of Louis, but he couldn’t smell any fear or discomfort coming off of the omega, so he’d take what he could get.

The elevator let out a ring as they arrived at the 27th floor, Harry typing in the key code for the elevator to allow the door to open. 

Louis let out a yawn as they walked to his room, Harry holding most of the omega’s weight up as they walked.

“Sleepy,” Louis said with another adorable yawn, Harry unable to repress a coo at the noise. He had no idea that a noise like that could even come out of him; he was a manly alpha, though, so he was glad no one was around to hear him. No one that would remember, at least.

“We’re almost there,” Harry said as he used his free hand to put the keycard into the room number Paul told him belonged to Louis. He let out a relieved sigh as the door opened and he saw the suitcase Louis tried telling Alberto, a member of the security team, he could carry by himself. The bag was almost as big as he was, Niall having packed a scary amount of clothes for the omega.

Harry shut the door behind them before speaking. It was odd to see how he was reacting in this situation; unsure of how he instinctively knew how to handle something he had no experience in. He’d never drank himself to the point of being drunk, but seeing Louis as drunk as he was completely freaked him out. The omega was so little, so innocent; Harry knew his security and their group would watch out for Louis, but he was still happy he took the omega upstairs when he did. 

“I’ll grab you some pajamas while you get undressed, okay? What would you like to sleep in?” Harry asked.

“PJs are sitting on the bathroom sink,” Louis said sleepily, beginning to take off his suit jacket.

“Okay, I’ll be in the bathroom until you’re dressed, I promise I won’t look,” Harry said as he headed into the bathroom to grab the pajamas. He was surprised to see how big a regular king room was; he did pretty well for himself with this hotel.

Louis let out a snort before muttering, “Doesn’t matter. You don’t like Os anyways.”

Harry froze, his eyebrows halfway to the sky at that point, “What was that?”

“Know you like alphas, so it doesn’t matter if you see,” Louis explained, unsure of how the alpha was confused.

Harry was more amused than anything, “And how’d you find that out?”

“Saw you with Cara and Ken,” he mumbled, frustrated with the buttons on his shirt. If he was just allowed to wear a plain shirt- which Niall wouldn’t let him do- it wouldn’t be so hard to get undressed.

“Ah, that makes sense,” Harry acquiesced; he finally grabbed the pile of clothes, letting out a stifled groan when he looked down. Sitting on top of a large, well worn I heart NYC shirt was a pair of purple lace panties. Harry took a deep breath and attempted to get himself together before exiting the bathroom.

“Stupid shirt,” Louis mumbled under his breath, seemingly unaware of how good a full-grown alpha’s hearing was, “Silly alpha, thinks I dunno.”

Harry got one glimpse of Louis’ gorgeous ass, a pink thong sitting in between his plump cheeks, before quickly rushing to put the omega’s pajamas on the bed. Louis continued to slowly, ridiculously slowly, unbutton his dress shirt as Harry made his way to the plush leather couch in the corner of his room. Far, far away from the gorgeous omega was getting undressed. Focus, focus, focus, Harry told himself, not wanting to get wrapped up in the scent of the most amazing and fantastical smelling omega in pre-heat and definitely not wanting to see his body on display when he couldn’t have it. Plus, he thought, Louis wouldn’t want him looking. Ah, perfect distraction! 

Harry decided to play with the omega a little bit. There was no better time to get information from someone than when they were drunk; and if it helped Harry figure out what Louis was thinking, then all the better. He couldn’t feel too bad about it, this was the most the omega had said to Harry outside of the one night in his study.

“Hey, Lou. If I mate with two alphas how am I supposed to have babies? I’ve always wanted lots of babies,” Harry asked with a smile. Maybe someone told the omega jokingly that he was into alphas? He had no viable explanation.

“Ugh,” Louis groaned, finally putting his shirt and panties on after a painfully long time of getting undressed. “Ken or Cara has a baby for you. I dunno how you pick, th’s your problem.”

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. Louis clearly misunderstood his question or had no conception of how biology worked. Knowing how drunk the boy was and how little he seemed to know about the world before he came to LA had him thinking both were true.

“Let’s get you into bed,” Harry said, ignoring the boy’s reply and moving over to the bed.

“Finally,” Louis moaned, climbing into the bed after Harry pulled the sheets and duvet down for him to climb in. 

The alpha smiled at the small omega’s dramatics, happy to see a more outgoing side of Louis for once. He hoped he’d see it more.

“Goodnight, little one,” Harry said as he moved to turn the lamp beside Louis’ bed off.

“Wait!” Louis exclaimed, opening his eyes as wide as they’d go. “Need Teddy,” he said, pointing to the TV stand.

Harry nodded, heading over and picking up a well-worn stuffed golden retriever. He didn’t know what to expect, but a dog-named Teddy was not it. It was tradition for omegas to have stuffed animals growing up, feeling comfort from the plushie that they traded in for an alpha once mated. Their alpha then provided them with comfort and love, the stuffed animal then kept as a keepsake item.

Louis was looking over at him expectantly, hair tousled and eyes wide. Harry couldn’t help but think that this was what love feels like.

“Here you go, pup,” Harry said.

“Not a pup,” Louis grumbled, unable to hide the small smile on his face at the man’s nickname.

“And Teddy isn’t a puppy,” Harry said teasingly as he tucked Louis in nice and tight. The omega was asleep before Harry could blink twice. He couldn’t help himself from planting a soft kiss on his forehead before shutting the light off and exiting the room. He hoped that some day soon he would be the one that Louis was cuddling into, not his stuffed dog. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep, so he resigned himself to a night thinking about a gorgeous, sweet little omega who had the wrong idea about him. He hoped that his next move would fix it.

Louis woke up the next morning with a groan, his head pounding and his mouth dry. A glass of water and two pain relief pills were sat on his bedside table. As he sat up, the memories of the night rushing back to him, he noticed a book that was sat on the pillow beside him. His brow furrowed as he read the title: A Male Omega’s Guide to a Big and Strange World: Biology Edition.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!!

Chapter 2: Sex (The Boring Kind)

In the first chapter you were introduced to the various topics that we’ll be introducing to you in this chapter. We figured we would start our book with sex, and not the fun kind! Each sex differs in anatomy, characteristics, and reactions to other sexes. But to start, you must understand that sex and gender are different.

Gender is the difference between men and women, masculinity and femininity. In omegas and betas it is easy to tell the difference between men and women by boobs or a penis. Unfortunately, gender can be a bit tricky to understand and assess when it comes to alphas as both male and female alphas have penises. We will get into this a bit later in the chapter. Let’s begin with anatomy.

Female omegas have both boobs and a vagina; they can be impregnated by alphas- female and male- when they have vaginal intercourse with their alphas. 

Male omegas are a bit of a different story. On first glance, it is a bit difficult to identify a male omega. They are often characterized by their tiny stature, submissive actions, and scent that only alphas can detect. Male-Os can be impregnated by both female and male alpha, just as their female counterparts. To become pregnant, an omega must engage in anal intercourse with an alpha. Male omegas, like females, are able to secrete a lubricant when aroused or in heat. This lubricant allows for the ease of impregnation and comfort while engaging in intercourse. Male-Os have penises and scrotums that are vastly different than those of alphas or even betas. It is important to understand that the purpose of penises differ from gender to gender. Alphas and betas impregnate with their penises, but male omegas simply receive release from theirs. Because of the difference in utilization between genders, the anatomy of penises differs from gender to gender. Due to the rarity of male omegas, there is no concrete data on adult male omega penis size. From what can be inferred, sizes range from 1-3 inches on average. 

When pregnant, male omegas will begin to lactate in preparation for the pups they will soon birth. While their pectorals will grow, often to a size comparable to that of some females, they are not considered “boobs” because they are not a constant physical feature.

Are you with us so far? Now we will move into alpha anatomy. Alphas, both male and female, have penises. Female alphas are classified by their boobs and the presence of a uterus; this can be quite confusing as female alphas do not have vaginas and they are unable to carry children. Yes, you heard that right- female alphas can impregnate omegas, both male and female, but are unable to have their own children. Outside of their boobs, female alphas can be distinguished by their lack of a present Adam’s apple. Doctors are unable to distinguish male and female alphas until birth, which can leave some parents with a lot of anxiety! 

\----------------------------------------  
Louis closed the book with a groan, unable to read any further. From what his hazy brain was recalling, he made himself look like an idiot in front of Harry. How was he supposed to know that female alphas couldn’t have children? It wasn’t like his mom or sisters were forthcoming with any information whatsoever. 

He couldn’t help but feel anxious as he sat on the private jet, waiting to head back to Los Angeles. He was one of the first on, riding with Josh and Niall in their private car to the terminal. Getting on the private plane was much easier than it was when Louis flew to Los Angeles, the long line at security taking almost an hour to weave through. But this, this was a breeze. He quite liked the luxurious life that he now found to be his own.

It was obvious that his heat was only hours away, as he knew it would be. He looked forward to finally being in his bed where there would be no need to worry about alphas taking advantage of him when he was incoherent in the deep throes of his heat. 

Louis looked up at the sound of more people walking onto the plane, wondering where Zayn was. He didn’t recall how he got separated from his friend last night, but was hoping to hear more about how his night ended up once they left the club. It didn’t take long for Zayn to walk onto the plane, Liam simply patting his omega on the shoulder as he continued walking further back. 

The unbounded omega’s eyebrows were raised as he got a look at his friend’s puffy red eyes. Then, to make things even more odd, Zayn let out a small squeak as he sat down, and Louis would swear he saw tears filling the omega’s eyes.

Before Louis could speak, though, Zayn pulling him into a tight hug, resting his head on Louis’ shoulder. 

“I’m sorry for being a bad friend,” Zayn whispered, voice breaking as he spoke, “I didn’t mean to make you sick. I just wanted us to have fun.”

Louis’ stomach clenched, he was unsure of what had happened. He knew that this was his fault as much as it was Zayn’s.

The other omega spoke quietly to Zayn, nuzzling his head into his soft black hair. “Why are you apologizing? It was my fault for drinking too much, I just didn’t know enough was enough.

Zayn sputtered at Louis’ last remark, tears soaking Louis’ shirt.  
“Exactly! You didn’t know, and I did! I got you wasted and you didn’t even know what you were doing!”

Louis was quick to placate his friend, “Zayn, I’m fine. I feel worse from my heat than the alcohol. I promise I’m fine. Why are you so bent out of shape about this?”  
Zayn blushed lightly as he looked up at his friend, squirming as he thought about the events of the morning.

Louis gasped as he looked closely at his friend, putting together the red cheeks, the apologies, and the way he was sitting.

“D-did Liam spank you? Because of me?”

Zayn started nodding, but stopped with bulging eyes and an indignant expression on his face when what Louis said sunk in.  
“Not because of you, Lou! Because I was irresponsible. It was my fault.”

“It was not your fault,” Louis said, pulling his friend close once again.

“We’ll have to agree to disagree,” Zayn mumbled, “How’re you feeling, though, babe?”

Louis sighed, “I’m just ready to be in bed. Already getting a bit hazy, it just freaks me out to be in public this close to heat. Don’t want anything to happen.”

“Nothing’s going to happen, ba-“ Zayn cut off, letting out a laugh, “Why do you have this book?”

Louis blushed tomato red, not needing to look to know what Zayn was looking at. “Oh, um, Harry got it for me.” Louis squeaked.

“Don’t be embarrassed babe. I bought it when I first moved out here, I should’ve lent it to you, that’s my bad. But,” Zayn said with a smirk on his face, “Harry? Did he sweep you off your feet last night?”

Louis groaned, lifting a hand to cover his face. “We’re not talking about this. Just cuddle me.”

Zayn was unable to resist the pout of a pre-heat Louis and pulled the smaller omega onto his lap once he saw that the seatbelt sign was off. Louis let out a happy sound at the contact, snuggling into Zayn’s neck. He was hoping he’d feel his oncoming heat subside a bit at the close contact with the omega, but it only seemed to grow. The heat was pooling in his stomach as if it was a balloon waiting to burst and spread through his veins. It started in his head and stomach, a fog that covered his brain and made him incoherent and a steady heat that continued to rise until all he could think about was feeling normal once again. But now he knew about the relief he could provide himself, the relief an alpha could provide to him. He knew one of those wasn’t an option, but would he touch himself? He hadn’t quite decided yet and couldn’t think about it without feeling extremely uncomfortable. 

The plane ride home was only an hour and a half, but it felt like years to Louis. The omega was getting hotter and less coherent as the minutes passed and Zayn was sympathetic, but helpless. He let out understanding coos as he ran his hands through Louis’ hair, holding the omega close on his lap. Zayn felt relieved when he realized Louis was asleep, his hot breaths heating up his neck.

Zayn looked up when he scented Harry next to him, the alpha’s scent becoming more metallic as he got closer. The omega knew that meant something was off.

“Everything okay?” Harry asked quietly, his brow furrowed as he looked at Louis curled up on his fellow omega’s lap. He’d always thought Zayn was the tiniest man he’d ever seen, but then he met Louis. His tiny, 5’0 Louis. 

“Yeah,” Zayn said quietly, “He’s got about two hours til his heat starts, so he’s out of it.”

Harry let out a sound that was a mix between a concerned grunt and a groan. Zayn raised an eyebrow, amused at the alpha’s antics.

“Make sure he gets back to the mansion and is comfortable. You two can take my car back,” Harry said, both to himself and Zayn, nodding as he formulated his plans. He’d love nothing more than to simply bathe in Louis’ scent, the omega’s cinnamon scent becoming more and more pungent as the seconds passed. He nodded to Zayn and walked away, though. He couldn’t let himself lose control. He was hailed as a champion of omega rights and he didn’t want to completely damage his reputation now. And, more than that, he didn’t want to scare Louis or damage his potential relationship with the omega. He was too precious and innocent to be treated in such a stereotypically alpha way.

Patience, he told himself as he sat back in his seat, ignoring Liam’s knowing look. He would have the chance to prove himself to Louis if he was patient. Louis wasn’t ready for any sort of relationship yet and he knew he’d have to wait. 

\---------------------------------

“C’mon babe, almost there,” Zayn said encouragingly as he and Paul gently pulled Louis out of the car.

“Wanna sleep,” Louis whimpered, pulling the already stretched collar of his t-shirt for the fiftieth time. He dragged his feet, body feeling heavier and more sensitive as every second passed.

“Here we go, let’s get you to bed,” Paul said, making the executive decision to lift the small omega into his arms and hightail it upstairs. Not that he’d ever tell her, but Louis was even lighter than his wife. He wanted to get the omega upstairs and away from any and all staff members and playmates before he was in the throes of his heat. The scent of the young omega did nothing to him; the only scent he reacted to was that of his mate.

The hallways of the mansion were blessedly empty, and Paul deposited Louis on his bed before locking the door and stepping out. The omega’s room was at the end of the hall, separated from other residents’ rooms by a large stretch of the hallway by no accident, Harry having been thoughtful enough to suggest that room when Zayn first moved in.

“Let’s get you all comfy in bed, babes,” Zayn said soothingly as he helped the whimpering omega undress. His eyes were unfocused, a pout on his face that Zayn would find cute if he didn’t know the pain and frustration that were causing it. He never knew what he looked like in heat, but seeing Louis was a good enough hint. 

“You stayin’?” Louis slurred as he let Zayn undress him until he was in only his purple panties.

“I’ll be here until you fall asleep, let’s get you all comfy,” Zayn said softly as he pulled the duvet and sheets down on Louis’ bed. He was relieved to see that the omega had a second duvet and set of sheets sat on his desk ready to be utilized. He was also surprised to see that Louis had the dildo Niall and himself had bought for the innocent omega. Zayn wasn’t sure if he’d use it, but he was happy Louis at least though to put it out. His heat was going to be strong, the strongest that he’d had yet. Being around virile alphas made omega hormones go crazy, and being witness to them for the first time 21 years into life would make his heat especially strong.

“Teddy,” Louis said suddenly, his eyes unable to open completely no matter how hard he tried. It was like his body was made out of concrete, it was almost impossible to pick his arms up.

“How could I forget Teddy,” Zayn said lightly, smiling as he grabbed the adorable omega’s stuffy and situated it between Louis’ arm and shoulder. He couldn’t help but notice Louis’ tiny, but present, erection and wonder how the omega didn’t find it necessary to relieve himself. Or could he? It kind of made sense; the omega hadn’t masturbated in 20 years, so why would he feel the need to now? Zayn suspected that Louis would need an alpha to gently show him the pleasure that sexual activity brought and help him realize that he shouldn’t be ashamed of his needs. Boy, would he love to be a fly on the wall for those conversations.

The omega left reluctantly once he knew Louis was dead to the world, checking his phone and seeing that Liam was upstairs in Harry’s living room. He pressed a kiss to the heat-ridden omega’s hot cheek before leaving his old room and heading upstairs. Comfortable enough just to head in, Zayn made his way into the room where the two alphas were lounging on Harry’s large couch.

The two alphas reacted at the same time.  
“How’s he doing, Z?” Liam asked as he averted his eyes from the football game on television.

Harry let out a groan, pupils dilating at the delicious scent radiating off of Zayn.

“I’m going to lock myself in my room before I pop a knot on thin fucking air. Jesus,” Harry muttered, continuing to speak to himself as he rushed out of the room.

Zayn burst out laughing, unbearably amused at the alpha. It was always powerful knowing how much power omegas- especially male omegas- had over alphas, both physically and emotionally.

“What would people think if they knew the illustrious Harry Styles was about to knot over the scent of an omega in heat?” Zayn asked his alpha.

Liam looked thoughtful, “I think they’d be happy he was on his way to happiness.

Zayn rolled his eyes, “Who knew alphas were such saps.”

“It’s hard not to be with a perfect omega like you,” Liam said in a joking tone as he pulled his omega towards him and peppered his face with kisses as Zayn halfheartedly tried to push him off. 

“Let’s just hope Louis falls for it like I did.”

\---------------------

Louis woke up slowly, the darkness of his room disorienting. He had blackout curtains on the windows, as omegas were increasingly sensitive to light while in heat. The first thing he noticed was that the aching, consuming fever and delirium of heat were gone. He was achy and tired and woozy, but he was no longer in pain. And he couldn’t be happier about that. He also noticed that he wasn’t covered in dry bodily fluids as he usually was during heat; it was like someone cleaned him off and switched his sheets. Zayn, if he had to guess.

He let out a whimper as the door suddenly opened, the bright light of a sunny Los Angeles day burning his eyes before he shielded them.

“I’m so sorry babes, I didn’t know you’d be awake,” Zayn said quietly as he walked into the room. He placed a tray of food onto Louis’ bedside table much as he’d done throughout the omega’s heat. He’d brought Louis hot food twice a day, leaving him with already peeled fruits and open bottles of water at all hours of the day. Honestly, he’d been at the mansion over the course of the week more than he’d been at him and Liam’s home. He couldn’t help but worry about the frail, heat-ridden omega though, which Liam understood.

“Why’re you here?” Louis asked groggily, voice rough.

Zayn smiled, knowing the omega most likely didn’t remember Zayn coming in and switching his sheets every evening and making sure he ate dinner.

“Just making sure you get some food, lovey,” the older omega said lightly as he sat on the bed next to his friend. “Let’s get you some nice warm soup, open up.”

It was like the mention of food opened up an endless cavern in Louis’ stomach, the omega realizing how hungry he was at that very moment. He opened his mouth, letting out a happy moan at the taste of chicken noodle soup. He acted much like a baby bird, opening and closing his mouth at Zayn’s command until he was no longer hungry.

Once he was done eating, Louis took a good look at Zayn before he jumped with a start.

“What day ‘sit?” He asked, eyes fully wide despite his lethargy.

“Saturday.”

“Oh no, did I miss the pool party? I was in heat for six days?” Louis asked panicked, looking at his friend with wide eyes. 

Zayn let out a chuckle despite himself, “No, Lou, it’s just about an hour in. Just get some rest, okay? Harry understands why you can’t come, let’s get you back in bed.”

Louis wanted to struggle, but was too weak to move at the moment, further proving Zayn’s point.

“Love you Lou, I’ll come check back in soon,” Zayn promised, kissing Louis on the forehead and tucking him in before heading out.

Once the older omega was gone, Louis went into full panic mode. He’d never missed a Saturday pool day and knew that he was subject to being kicked out of the mansion if he did. He couldn’t help but think that Harry said he was okay with it to appease Zayn, but genuinely did care. It made sense; he wanted all of the playmates and residents to be at the pool parties, it was one of the only stipulations he had to abide by. He gritted his teeth as he got up out of bed; he had a pool party to get to.

After brushing his teeth and getting into his bathing suit- which was looser than usual due to the weight lost during his heat- he realized what a production this was. He was halfway down the stairs and he was already drained, his body and mind screaming at him to go back to bed and rest. Omegas weren’t rearing and ready to go after a heat, there was need for his temperature to go back to normal, his senses to renormalize, and himself to regain the strength he lost.  
It was impossible for him not to whimper as he made his way outside, the bright sunlight too much for his eyes currently, but he persisted. He headed over to where Harry’s usual circle of chairs was, wanting to curl up with Zayn and have food brought over to him for the remainder of the pool party.

“Louis?” A feminine voice asked as he headed over to the group. 

“What are you doing here?” Kendall said, brow furrowed as Louis continued to slowly make his way to the group.

“Couldn’t miss a pool party, could I?” Louis said weakly, his smile unable to convey the joking message he wanted his words to. No one smiled back at him. He made his way over to where Zayn sat in a huge patio chair and climbed into the black haired omega’s lap. 

“I told you to stay in bed,” Zayn said sharply, uncaring of the fact that everyone was watching the pair.

Louis couldn’t help the tears that came to his eyes at Zayn’s tone, the combination of post-heat emotions and the dislike of being reprimanded too much for the omega.

Zayn continued to speak in the same chastising tone, “You should be resting and getting your energy back. Not to mention every alpha within a ten mile radius can smell your heat.”

If Louis weren’t strung out, tired, and overemotional, he would’ve taken Zayn’s words as he usually did- with a smile and a laugh. But today was not any normal day, so he took a deep breath, stood up, and walked towards the back of the yard where tables were set up. 

He couldn’t help but feel like he did the first ever pool party he came to, he was receiving looks and some smiles, but he didn’t feel welcome. At least no one could kick him out for not being at the pool party if he sat back here alone. It wasn’t technically what he was supposed to do at the pool party- mingle, have fun, and pose for photos- but he knew he looked terrible and there was no way that Harry would want him in photos looking like a zombie.

He rested his head on his knees, curling into a ball on the chair. He was so tired, so so tired. If anyone looked towards the back of the property they wouldn’t really be able to see him, which was what he wanted at the moment. He closed his eyes and allowed the sun and noises of people enjoying themselves to lull him to sleep.

\-------------------------

“A little harsh there, Zayn?” Harry asked, his eyes stony. 

The omega let out an uncharacteristic snarl, “Don’t school me on omega things, Harry. You have no idea what it’s like to be one.”

Liam sat up in his chair, ready to reach over and nip his omega in reprimand if he made one more snarky comment. Zayn knew better than to disrespect his boss, and more than that, one of his closest friends. 

Harry leveled Zayn with an unimpressed look, one eyebrow raised. “All I’m saying is that he just came out of his heat and was clearly looking for comfort, not a lecture.”

Zayn simply rolled his eyes, not warranting the unmated alpha with a reply. Cara and Kendall simply shared a look, not wanting to get involved in the spat. Kendall belatedly wished that Niall wasn’t out on a shoot, knowing the beta could have dissolved the tension in a second.

Harry casually looked back towards where he knew Louis was curled up at a table at the edge of the yard’s grass and immediately stiffened when he saw the broad back of a man- a waiter, he could tell from his dress- leaning over the table. When the man didn’t move for ten seconds, Harry couldn’t help but feel his worry flare up.

“I’ll be back,” he said without explanation as he quickly, but as casually as he could, walked back towards where he knew Louis was.

He could smell Louis’ fear from twenty feet away and let out a menacing growl.

“-smell so good, so pure. Are you untouched, little omega?” 

Harry let out an even louder growl as he pushed the alpha so hard he sprawled back onto the ground. The enraged alpha kicked the man’s ribs as he began to berate him.

The alpha kneeled, tightly grabbing the hurt alpha’s hair and pulling his face up to stare into his furious eyes. “You think you can talk to an omega like that, you fucking dick? You think you can come into my house and harass omegas without their consent? Do you fucking know who I am?”

“He smells so good,” the other alpha had the audacity to groan.

“You fucking-“ Harry got out before he was pulling up to his feet, letting out a roar at whoever stopped him from seeking justice.

“Harry, Harry- it’s me, Paul. Look at me. Good. We’ve got this asshole handled, trust me.”

“I was going to fucking kill him,” Harry said, both admitting it and internalizing it at the same time. He almost killed another alpha to defend the honor of an omega. 

“Better for him to rot in jail for the rest of his life,” Paul said with a grimace, unable to smile at such a time. “Zayn and Liam took him upstairs to your living room for some privacy, head up there and make sure he’s okay.

Harry nodded, sparing one last look of disgust towards the alpha that was being held down by multiple members of his security team. He was surprised to see that the backyard was empty, save the police officers who were heading back towards the asshole alpha with Preston leading the way. He didn’t even notice anything but the alpha during the entire transgression, taking out all of his anger on the man requiring hyper focus. 

He moved quickly to his floor, not sparing a second of thought from the various staffers, party attendees, and playmates who were questioning him as he made his way inside. 

Entering his living room, he scented Zayn who was giving off calming pheromones to the omega sat in his lap while Louis continued to secrete the frightened, heat-ridden scent that he did when Harry first made his way over to him outside. Liam sat close by, but not touching the pair as if he was afraid to burst the bubble they were ensconced in. 

Harry, however, couldn’t help himself as he made his way over and bent down in front of the pair.

“Are you okay, Lou?” the alpha asked quietly, unable to keep emotion out of his gravelly voice.

Louis looked up with red eyes, letting out a sob before surprising both himself and Harry by throwing himself downwards into the alpha’s arms, wrapping his legs around the much larger man and hiding his face in his neck.

“You saved me,” Louis sobbed into Harry’s neck as the alpha stood up to better situate the omega in his arms. He placed a huge hand onto Louis’ back- his hand almost covering the whole of it, he couldn’t help but notice- and rubbed comfortingly as the omega continued to cry. This was everything he’d dreamed of since he first met Louis, but not like this. He would go his whole lifetime without receiving Louis’ affection if it meant he’d never hurt again.

“I’m so sorry, little one,” Harry said, “Everything is okay now, he’s gone for good.”

Harry spared a look at Zayn, hoping the omega would give him a hint as to whether or not he was doing all right. Zayn was now curled up in his own alpha’s lap, tears unshed in his eyes; despite his obvious sadness and fear for what could have been, he gave Harry a small smile.

“We’re going to grab some comfier clothes, we’ll be back,” Liam said quietly as he grabbed his omega in his arms and headed out of the room.

Harry took that as his cue to sit down, situating Louis so his legs weren’t caught between the couch and his back. The omega’s cries slowed as the two continued to sit in silence, Harry taking it upon himself to place Louis’ head in the crook of his neck where he knew he’d be most susceptible to the calming pheromones the alpha was releasing. 

Zayn and Liam walked back in, the omega placing two stacks of clothes onto the couch before they left the room with a wink. 

“Let’s get out of our bathing suits and into something comfier,” Harry directed, hating to get the omega up, even for something as important as making sure he was comfortable. Louis let out a cute sound before standing up, following Harry over to the pile of clothes. 

“Will you look away while I change?” Louis asked, eyes downcast and a light pink blush staining his cheeks. 

“Of course, little one,” Harry said with a smile although his tone was serious. “I’ll never do anything without asking first.”

Louis didn’t grant him a reply, but the small smile on his face said enough. He quickly took off his swim shorts and put on the pair of panties and silk sleep shorts that were in the pile. He was confused at the soft, light blue v-neck that was left, it was unfamiliar and huge; it took one sniff for him to realize whose it was. He rolled his eyes at Zayn’s antics.

He giggled when he saw Harry dressed in sweatpants and a tight white scoop neck with his body turned to face the corner of the room.

“You can look now,” Louis said with a smile, a lightness in his chest for the first time since the pool party.

Harry let out a faux-relieved sigh, “Oh, good. I was getting a bit bored looking at the wall.” Harry stuttered as he finished speaking, getting a look at Louis in a shirt he knew to be his own. Zayn was a cheeky fucker. Harry was glad he kept him around.

“I like seeing you in my shirt,” Harry admitted a moment later.

“Oh, thanks,” Louis said with a blush. “It’s a bit big, but smells good.”

Harry felt a pleased growl attempt to rise in his throat at the compliment, but quickly shoved it down. This wasn’t the time for alpha posturing, his mama would tell him.  
The pair sat back down on the couch, close but not touching. Harry wanted to grab the omega and pull him back on his lap. He’d cover the omega in his scent until Harry was all he could think about, the asshole alpha be damned. He wanted nothing more than to breathe in Louis’ scent forever and ever. It was at that moment he knew he needed to make a move. If Louis rejected him, then he’d try again later, but he knew he wouldn’t sleep unless he at least tried.

Louis let out a kitten like yawn, “So tired.”

Harry grabbed a blanket with superspeed he didn’t know he was possessed with, unfolding it before laying it over the omega.

“This is my favorite place to nap. I swear that the couch is made out of clouds,” Harry said with an easy smile as he flipped the channels until the sixth Harry Potter film was on. God bless Harry Potter marathon weekends.

Louis nodded in response, a small smile still on his face as he settled in to watch the movie. Less than ten minutes later, Harry found himself with a lapful of sleeping omega. He made sure to stay as still as a statue, not wanting to disturb Louis as he slept. He knew how debilitating heats could be, and he was happy to be able to give Louis the chance to recuperate.

The sixth movie turned into the eighth one much to Harry’s relief. The seventh was so boring; it didn’t do the book any justice, in Harry’s humble opinion. 

Louis started to stir as Harry revealed himself to Snape in the Great Hall. Harry muted the television.

Harry didn’t want the omega to be frightened by the unfamiliar location, so he spoke up with an alpha command lightly laced in his tone.

“It’s okay, Lou. We’re in my living room, you took a bit of a nap.”

Louis let out a breath, letting himself press closer to Harry. The alpha was such a calming presence; he couldn’t find it in himself to separate from him since it was clear Harry didn’t mind him. And since Harry didn’t like alphas, which he knew thanks to his handy dandy omega guide. 

“You’re so comfy, like I have my own personal couch,” Louis said quietly, giggling at the thought.

Harry let out a bark of laughter, the loud sound permeating the quiet room.

“There’s no one else I’d be a couch for,” Harry said honestly. Louis looked up at him with trusting, light blue eyes. Fuck it, he thought. “Can I ask you something, Lou?”

The omega looked up again at the alpha, their faces almost touching. “Of course, Harry.”

“Would you let me take you to dinner?"

Louis broke into a dazzling smile; Harry was interested in him. “Of course, Harry. I’d love to.”

Harry let out a sigh of relief, the nerves he was feeling so foreign to the always-confident alpha.

“I promise you won’t regret taking a chance on me.”

Louis simply pressed his head back to the alpha’s chest, not warranting his statement with a reply- he was already certain of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment!!!! Thoughts! Suggestions! Thank you all.
> 
> On a serious note-- my heart goes out to the Tomlinson/Deakin family. Jay was an amazingly sweet and compassionate woman who I have come into contact with many times over the years, and I can't fathom how devastated the family is. Bless them all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> check bottom for note :)

It was the most awkward conversation Louis had had since… forever. He took a deep breath as he listened to Zayn speak as if he wasn't fazed at all by such a personal conversation.

“What I’m saying is, you don’t know what could happen. It’s better safe than sorry,” the older omega said with a shrug, popping a grape into his mouth.

“I haven’t been to the doctor since I was 8, my mom didn’t want me out in public after I presented. I wouldn’t even know what to ask for,” Louis said thoughtfully. He was aware of how unaware he was, and it made his stomach clench as he thought about what that meant in the context of going on a date with Harry. 

Zayn’s eyes lit up, “I thought you’d never ask! Of course I’ll go with you.”

Louis rolled his eyes, unable to not smile at Zayn’s enthusiasm over his life. “We’ll go after my shoot Tuesday, I’ll make an appointment.”

“Perfect, that gives you some time to prepare for your date with Harry. Where do you think he’ll take you?” Zayn asked, “More importantly, where do you want him to take you?”

Louis took a second to think. “That’s a good question. I think I’d want to go on a classic date? You know, the ones you see on TV- nice dinner and a movie.”

Zayn raised an eyebrow with a smirk, “Will he also casually yawn and put his arm around your shoulder?”

Louis let out a giggle, “I don’t know, depends on whether or not he buys me candy.”

“Oh, he’ll buy you candy. Harry’s a gentleman. And he knows if he steps a toe out of line his life is over.”

Louis smiled, warmth coming over him at the thought of Harry and the fact that his best friend would fight anyone, even an alpha, to defend his honor.

\---------------------------

“Hm, look who has been to two photoshoots in a month. I wonder why you keep showing up?” Zayn asked as Harry walked up to the chair he was lounging on.

Harry rolled his eyes, sitting in the chair next to Zayn. “Are you forgetting who owns Playboy?”

“Of course not, it’s just interesting that you start coming around now that we have a gorgeous little omega attending the shoots. Not that I blame you, of course. I mean, look at him.”

Zayn and Harry turned to look at Louis who was lying on set taking last minute holiday photos for the Playboy website. He was lying on a furry rug in front of a brick fireplace, naked except for a pair of white, lace panties. Cal, the photographer, was shouting out praises at Louis and Harry couldn’t help but let out a groan.

The omega was lying face down on the rug, his pinky between his teeth and his figure looking sinful. Harry thanked his lucky stars that Lou saw him that fateful day at the grocery store. 

“You all right there, Harry?” Zayn asked with an amused smile as he looked at the alpha next to him.

Harry crossed his legs, attempting to casually hide his hardening cock.

“Yeah, thanks for the concern,” the alpha said drily. 

“So,” Zayn said, sparing Harry more embarrassment, “Where are you taking my precious boy on your date?”

Harry contemplated whether or not to tell Zayn. He decided to just do it, knowing that Zayn would set him straight if his idea was stupid or something that Louis wouldn’t like.

“I figured I’d take him on a cliché first date since it’s actually his first date ever. A nice dinner and a movie- speaking of, what’s his favorite kind of food?”

“You owe me,” Zayn said with a please smile and an eye roll, leaning forward to whisper in the alpha’s ear. 

\------------------------------

“All right, let’s get your height and weight, Mr. Tomlinson. Please take your shoes off,” the kind, motherly nurse instructed as Louis and Zayn walked out of the waiting room. Zayn gave Louis an encouraging smile as he took off his shoes and stepped onto the scale, back up against the height measurer. 

“5 foot and a half inch and 105 pounds,” she mumbled as she scribbled onto her chart.

“Is that okay?” Louis asked, unsure of the numbers she spouted off.

The nurse let out a tinkling laugh, “Just fine, dear. You’re on the small side, but that’s being a male omega for you. No need to worry.”

Louis let out a sigh of relief. Zayn sat by patiently as Louis got his blood pressure and temperature checked, the nurse leaving the room after promising the doctor would be in shortly.

A knock on the door sounded before a tall, brunette woman walked into the room. It was clear she was an alpha, her posture and scent a clear indicator of her gender. She had the lingering scent of omega, but faint enough that Louis could tell it was her mate, not her. 

“Hi, Mr. Tomlinson, I’m Doctor Petrie,” she said with a smile, “And who’s your friend?”

“I’m Zayn Malik, ma’am,” Zayn said with a charming smile.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” she said sincerely, “Louis, I’m going to ask you a few questions so that I can better assess your needs.”

“Okay,” Louis said quietly, looking down at his hands and taking a deep breath.

The doctor shared a small smile with Zayn. She’d worked with more male omegas than any other doctor she’d come across, feeling confident enough to tout her experience after being mated to a male omega for twenty years. She knew how rare it was to meet one, let alone be mated to one, so she wanted to use her skills for good. 

“Let’s start with your move to Los Angeles, I see you wrote on your questionnaire that you moved here this year. How are you feeling about such a new environment?”

“I’m liking it a lot. It’s been nice having Zayn and other friends to help me adjust to such a strange world. I was really sheltered, and I feel like I’m finally becoming a real human.” Louis let out a short laugh at his own words.

“How confident are you feeling in public situations? Do you feel comfortable interacting with new people?”

“Well, it’s kind of a day by day thing. I live at the Playboy mansion- wow, I can’t believe that’s coming out of my mouth- and people are usually kind. They treat me normally. It’s just odd being around so many people after only talking to my family for my whole life.”

Dr. Petrie nodded, “I can only imagine what a big change that is. Have you befriended any alphas since moving here? What are your thoughts on them?”

“Liam, Zayn’s alpha, is really nice to me. He’s a lot nicer than I thought an alpha could be- I was always scared of them, still am in some ways, to tell you the truth. I was always told I’d be mated off to an alpha and that would be my life. How could I not be terrified of them?”

Dr. Petrie nodded sympathetically, having heard the same narrative over and over again. “Do you think you could ever mate with an alpha? Not right now, of course, but in the future?”

Zayn let out a laugh as Louis blushed. “Yeah, I do. There’s someone, an alpha, that I think I could find myself really liking.”

The doctor smiled encouragingly, “That’s great to hear, Louis. Do you have any questions or concerns about mating that you’d like a doctor’s perspective on? Nothing’s off limits.”

Louis thought for a second, “Well, I’ve been reading a lot and understand I won’t really know until I do, um, things with an alpha? But I don’t really want to get pregnant. Is there any way to make sure I don’t?”

“There is indeed. I can start you on some birth control pills; they will simply make it so that you cannot conceive while in heat, as that’s the only time when you can be impregnated. The pills work 99.9% of the time, so that’s not a worry you should be having. The mother in me needs to let you know that you should only engage in sexual activities with an alpha when you feel comfortable enough to do so. If you feel as though you’ve been taken advantage of at any time then please know you can reach out to me and I will help you handle the situation. 

Some alphas are bad, but many are good. It’s can only imagine how hard it is to remember that when you’re fed a certain narrative while growing up, but I hope you one day find it to be the truth. Do you have any more questions?”

Louis shook his head.

The doctor clapped her hands, “Good. Now, we have to give you some shots, but I’m sure your friend will take you to ice cream after.”

“I bet he will,” Louis muttered, annoyed with Zayn as the omega promised he wouldn’t need to get shots. He better make sure he has lots of toppings to make up for such an egregious lie.

\----------------------

“You know I would have already snatched you up if I was an alpha, Lou. You look stunning,” Zayn said with a blasé sigh.

“What he said,” Niall said from where he and Zayn were laying on Louis’ bed.

Louis rolled his eyes, “I’ll keep that in mind. Just make sure you answer the phone if I call?”

Zayn sat up, looking at Louis with a serious expression. “Babe, I promise that Harry won’t do anything you don’t want him to. But I will have my phone all night, and so will Niall. Call us even if you just miss us and want to say hi; we’ll answer.”

“Good,” Louis said, satisfied with Zayn’s answer.

A knock on Louis’ door sent the younger omega into a panic. 

“Coming,” Niall sang, springing up off of Louis’ bed and heading to the door.

Niall opened it before Louis even got himself together enough to move. 

“Hi Niall,” Harry said, an amused smirk on his face. He was wearing a light blue shirt covered in tiny white stars, a black blazer, and tight black jeans. Louis was just as frozen as he was when the alpha first knocked on the door.

“Hello, Harry. I’m Louis’ father for all intents and purposes, so keep that in mind. I know how to break a man’s neck while tying his tie; yes, that is a threat,” Niall said, squaring up to the large alpha who was stood right outside of Louis’ room.

“And I’m Louis’ mama, for real, unlike Niall’s faux parentship. Treat him well or he’ll have to live with Liam and I forever!” Zayn chirped, walking up and nodding approvingly at the alpha’s outfit.

“Okay, okay,” that was all Louis needed to unfreeze, “I’m going to go before Harry rethinks every friendship he has. Love you guys.”

“Love you, babes,” Zayn said, Niall blowing him kisses as he headed out of the room, the younger omega shutting the door to his room with a meaningful look. Surprisingly, Zayn and Niall didn’t open it.

Once outside of his room, he first noticed that the hallway was oddly empty. He then noticed that Harry was staring at him intensely.

“You look wonderful, Louis,” Harry said as he grinned down at the now blushing omega.

“Thanks, Harry,” Louis wished he had the courage to tack on the “you do too” that he wanted to. In due time, he thought.

“Are you ready to go?” Harry asked, holding an arm out that Louis hooked with his own, butterflies flying rampant in his stomach.

They didn’t encounter anyone else as they made their way out the front door, the chatter coming from the dining room making it apparent that the playmates were all at dinner. It made it easier for Louis as the omega didn’t want to have to deal with peering eyes and questioning minds. 

“I thought I’d drive tonight, if that’s okay,” Harry said as he guided Louis to a small black car. Louis peeked at the back of the car, seeing a sleek silver horse that didn’t do much to help him decipher what car it was. Whatever it was, though, it was extremely expensive if he had to guess. Harry opened the passenger door and shut it behind Louis before heading to the other side. Louis’ omega preened at the show of chivalry.

The car started with a purr and Harry pulled down the driveway, the gate opening before he turned onto the main road.

“Can I ask where we’re going?” Louis asked, unable to help himself. 

Harry smiled, looking over at the omega in his passenger seat. “I’m not much for surprises, so I won’t keep you hanging. I thought we could go to a Japanese steakhouse for dinner and then see a movie. Does that sound good?”

Louis couldn’t help but wriggle excitedly in his seat as though he was a kid headed to Disney World. “It’s like you read my mind on what my perfect first date would be.”

Thank God for Zayn, Harry thought. “Zayn mentioned once that you wanted to try a hibachi grill, and I wanted to see the new Avengers movie, so I’m happy you’re happy.”

They chatted while Harry drove them into downtown Los Angeles, eventually stopping in front of a valet stand. His door was quickly opened by a teenage beta and he thanked him with a smile as he waited for Harry.

“Thank you,” Harry said to the valet, attempting to discretely hand over a wad of bills, although it didn’t escape Louis’ notice. The alpha placed an arm around Louis’ waist as he guided the omega into the restaurant.

“Mr. Styles, good evening,” a man stood at the host stand said with a slight bow. He didn’t address Louis, a form of respect towards the alpha. Betas and alphas did not address unbonded omegas that were with unbonded alphas as it could be perceived as a threat to the alpha’s dominance. The fight that would ensue was something that no one wanted to be a part of.

“Good to see you Marcus, thanks for accommodating us.”

“Of course, Mr. Styles. We’re always glad to have you dine with us. Follow me this way,” Marcus said as he led the pair back. Louis noticed that the dining room was full of patrons seated around hibachi grills, chefs putting on shows that had the restaurant’s guests cheering. Louis and Harry were lead back to a private room that had a few hibachi grills stationed around it, but had no one in there. Louis looked up at Harry, a bit surprised that the alpha rented out the room just for a date with him.

“Bethany should be in momentarily,” Marcus said with a smile. Harry nodded and thanked the man before pulling Louis’ seat out for him. The omega smiled as he pulled himself in towards the table.

“You didn’t have to do this, Harry,” Louis said, shaking his head incredulously at the alpha. He knew how much the restaurant cost and how hard it was to get reservations let alone rent out a whole room.

Harry grabbed Louis hands gently after sitting down. “Little one, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m quite smitten with you. I want to make you happy. You will never want for anything while you’re with me, I promise you that.”

“Thank you, Harry. It’s just a lot to get used to, just, um, never forget that I appreciate it,” Louis said with a grateful smile.

“I won’t, little one, as long as you never fear asking me for something.”

“Seems like a lopsided deal, but it’s a promise,” Louis said wryly.

The door to the room opened as a beta with long, gray hair walked in.

“My Harry! It’s been so long since you’ve come to visit me,” she said as she walked forward with her arms forward. Harry let out a laugh as he stood up, embracing the woman in a hug.

“Bethany, it’s wonderful to see you as always.”

“And who’s this?” she asked, drawing herself away from Harry. 

“I’m Louis, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you,” the omega said with a smile, enjoying seeing such a soft side of Harry.

“Harry,” she said in a faux-scolding tone, “You didn’t tell me you found such a lovely mate!”

Harry smiled sheepishly, “Ah, Beth, don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s only our first date.

The older woman gasped, “Well then, I’ll make sure it’s one to remember. See Louis, I’ve known Harry here since he was a wee one- he’d come in with his mom, mama, and Gemma every few weeks. I’ve seen him through it all, and now he’s grown into such a wonderful man.”

“I bet you have some good stories from when he was younger,” Louis said with a smile as he thought about young Harry.

Harry let out a groan as Bethany laughed, “Oh, yes indeed I do! Let’s just say he went through a phase where his mama had to pay him to eat anything green without crying and putting up a fight. He was a stubborn little one.”

“I was thirteen!” Harry groaned, unable to keep a smile off of his face as he looked at Louis’ delighted expression. If Louis’ joy came at his express, then he’d be made fun of every second of the day. It was scary to see how quickly the omega claimed power over him.

“We’ll go with thirteen for your sake, Harry. Can I get you dears anything to drink?” Bethany asked, going back into waitress mode.

“We’ll have a bottle of Fiji water and that’ll be all for me. Louis?” Harry asked while looking at the omega.

“That sounds good to me, thank you,” Louis said with a smile. 

“Coming right up! Your chef, Darren, should be in momentarily,” Bethany said with one last smile.

“I figured that we could do a spread of everything so that you could figure out what you like best. We can always have more made of anything you’re particularly fond of.”

“Sounds perfect,” Louis said enthusiastically, “I don’t know what I’m getting myself into when you say everything, but I trust your judgment.” 

“I promise I wouldn’t give you anything gross; we’ll stray away from seafood and sushi. That constitutes two more dates.”

Louis looked at Harry with a glint in his eyes, “Ah, I already get two more dates? I must be better at this dating thing then I imagined.”

Harry smiled, but his words still conveyed his seriousness, “I’ll take as many dates with you as I can get, I want to show you the world.”

“I’d love that, Aladdin,” Louis said, his heart growing six sizes at Harry’s laugh. He was surprised at how easy it was to be himself around the alpha. There was no fear like there normally was when he was around people, fear that he’d say the wrong thing or act how an omega shouldn’t. 

“Hi gentleman,” a man’s voice said, effectively bursting the bubble that the pair was in. Louis looked down to see that their waters were in front of them; it was as though they retreated into a world where only the other existed. Louis loved it.

“Hello, Darren. How are you this evening?” Harry asked with an easy smile.

“I’m wonderful, thank you. We’ll be starting with a miso soup and ginger salad that I’ve placed in front of you.”

Louis tried the soup first, loving its taste. He’d never had tofu before, but trusted Harry when he said it made the soup what it is. The bowl was small, so he was finished quickly.

“I don’t have any money to bribe you to eat the salad unfortunately,” Louis said as he stabbed his fork into the greens.

“No worries, pup, I’ve grown to quite like salad.”

Louis blushed at Harry’s nickname, choosing to look at Darren, who was chopping vegetables and meat at a ridiculous speed, instead of replying.

“That was amazing,” Louis said sincerely as he stood up, groaning as the full impact of the food he ate was felt. “I might explode, though.”

“That makes two of us. I think I went a bit overboard with the salmon,” Harry admitted as he placed an arm around Louis’ waist and guided him out of the restaurant. Their car was waiting out front as Bethany took the initiative to let the workers know the couple was almost done eating.

“Your keys, Mr. Styles,” the valet from earlier said with a smile.

“Enjoy your evening,” Harry said, slipping him yet another wad of bills. Louis couldn’t help but feel well taken care of when Harry slipped Darren a wad of bills while putting a high three figure tip on the bill all the while. It was the omega in him that liked knowing he was being provided for, that if he married Harry then he’d have someone who could protect him and treat him the way that any omega wanted to be treated. 

“Thank you for dinner, that was everything I expected it to be and more,” Louis said with a smile.

“I’m so happy to hear that,” Harry said, relieved and proud that Louis was pleased. “I hear the movie is supposed to be better than the last one, so that should be good as well.”

“I haven’t been to the movies since I was eight,” Louis offered, “I went to see Nemo with my oldest sister Lottie, I had nightmares for weeks about the opening scene. I had no idea that was coming.”

Harry smiled softly at the adorable omega beside him. “At least we know there won’t be egg snatching fish in Avengers, just destructive superheroes.”

“I always wonder how much it costs to rebuild the places they destroy. Does Tony Stark pay? The taxpayers? So many unanswered questions,” Louis mused.

“I mean he is a philanthropic billionaire, so I’d assume he pays for a lot of it. And it is the Avengers fault, so I think it’d be pretty shitty if they didn’t.”

“These are the questions that keep me up at night,” Louis sighed as he exited the car. Harry locked the car before throwing an arm around Louis’ waist, a shiver rolling down his spine as the omega nestled in close to him. 

“You cold, little one?” Harry asked, his lips pursed.

“Just a bit, I’ll be fine once we’re inside,” Louis said as they picked up their speed in the parking lot. He let out a sigh of relief once they were inside, the warmth of the movie theater a contrast to the brisk night air.

Harry led him up to the ticket counter where they waited in line behind a few other people. Louis smiled to himself when he realized that Harry never removed his arm from around him. 

“Next!” A young woman sat behind the glass counter said as the couple moved up. “Oh! Mr. Styles, so great to see you. You’re in theater 5; the film will start in about 10 minutes. Grab some food and then head in! Enjoy!”

“Sounds wonderful, thanks for all of your assistance. It’s much appreciated.” They headed towards the large concession counter where the smell of fresh, buttery popcorn permeated the air. 

“That smells so good,” Louis said as he breathed in the buttery goodness.

“Do you want some butter flavored air fresheners for your room?” Harry asked jokingly.

Louis let out a peal of giggles, “I’m not sure it would have the same appeal if I smelled it every time I stepped into my room. I appreciate the offer, though.”  
“Well, the offer stands if you ever change your mind. What would you like though, little one?”

“Hm,” Louis said, unconsciously standing on his tippy toes as he looked at the large menu. “Can I have gummy bears, a cherry slurpee, and popcorn?”

“Of course,” Harry said as he stepped up and ordered. Louis smiled when he saw that Harry ordered an extra large popcorn, presumably for them to share. 

Louis let out an incredulous laugh when they stepped into an empty theatre. “Didn’t this just come out this week? You’d figure more people wanted to see it.”

Harry looked sheepish as they walked to the center of the back row. “I may have bought the theatre out? I remember you telling me that you hated when people talked during movies, so I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen.”

Louis couldn’t help the way that he suddenly went up on his tippy toes, wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck so he could gently pull him down to a height where he could press a kiss on his cheek. 

“Thank you, H,” the omega said, face bright and heart pounding as he realized what he just did. 

Harry was surprised that he didn’t drop the popcorn at the unexpected kiss, his cheek tingling from where the omega’s soft, plush lips just landed on it.

“Anything for you, pup. Let’s sit, the movie is going to start at any moment.”

Louis let out a contented noise as he sat on the leather couch. It wasn’t quite as nice as the seats in the mansion’s movie theater, but it made him feel luxurious. He was painfully aware of the fact that the alpha he wanted was sat right next to him. The theater alternated couch, seat, couch, seat, and they’d chosen one of the large couches. They were sat on opposite sides of it, but Louis nervously hoped that that wouldn’t last. He’d watched this scene in a movie a million times, and he hoped that he would end up snuggled against Harry. The alpha’s scent was pungent and Louis wanted to bottle it up and drink it.

The movie began and shook Louis out of his reverie; he turned his focus towards the movie and not the alpha that was beside him. About twenty minutes, give or take, into the movie, Louis brought his arms up to wrap around himself. The theater was a bit chilly, and omegas always ran cold.

Harry, who was watching Louis out of the corner of his eye the entire time, was unable to keep quiet. “Are you cold, little one?”

“Just a little, it’s okay. I’m always a bit cold,” Louis admitted quietly, taking his eyes off of the movie to look at the alpha. 

“A little known fact is that Harry is Latin for space heater. C’mere,” the alpha said with a wry smile, cautious of gauging Louis’ reaction. He wanted to have the omega’s consent every move of the way, and for that he knew he needed to make sure he was comfortable. Omegas often didn’t say no out of fear of backlash from alphas, so he wanted to be wholly sure that Louis wanted this as much as he did.

Louis took a deep breath before scooting over towards Harry, blushing as the alpha pulled him close and wrapped an arm around his waist. 

“Thought you were being dramatic,” Louis said as he felt the heat from Harry’s body warm up his chilled skin.

“Never,” Harry said as he breathed in the delicious scent of a happy omega.

Louis didn’t reply, realizing that he’d taken Harry away from watching the movie with his neediness. It was time to get back to watching Robert Downey Jr. 

Harry couldn’t stop himself from rubbing his hand up and down Louis’ side, telling himself he was simply warming the boy up to legitimate the action in his mind. He knew he was doing something right when Louis started purring, a primitive omegan instinct that showed their contentment with an alpha’s attention. 

Louis was boneless against Harry’s side; he didn’t really understand how the touch of an alpha could make him feel so relaxed and wonderful, but it did. He thought he was dreaming when he felt the alpha’s lips pressed to his hair, only believing it when it happened again a few minutes later. He felt a bit guilty at the lack of attention he paid to the movie, as it really was quite good. It just meant he’d have to watch it again, hopefully with Harry. 

The movie ended almost abruptly, and both Louis and Harry tried not to jump when they realized the movie was over, not wanting to clue the other in that they weren’t paying attention. 

Louis was surprised that he was still wide-awake, but then again, no, he wasn’t. How could he have fallen asleep when he was in such close proximity to Harry for the first time? The feat seemed pretty impossible the more he thought about it.

“What’d you think, little one?” Harry asked as he stood up, holding out a hand to help the omega off of the couch.

Louis didn’t miss a beat. “It was really good, definitely better than Age of Ultron.”

“Glad to know you have such good taste,” Harry said with a smile as they walked towards the entrance of the building, “I’ll go warm up the car and pull it up front, wait right here.”

“Thank you, Harry,” Louis said with a grateful smile.

“Of course, little one. Anything for you,” Harry said, brushing his thumb over Louis’ prominent cheekbone before heading outside. 

Louis let out a giggle as he watched the alpha walk out before letting out a groan when he realized what he was acting like. The stereotypical swooning omega who melted into a puddle at the kindness of an alpha. But really, who cared? An alpha, an extremely gorgeous and sweet alpha, was treating him like royalty. Alphas appreciated an omega that showed their appreciation, so he’d continue to do so. Gender stereotypes be damned; he was an omega and he had no shame in acting like one. 

Louis made his way outside when he saw Harry’s sleek car pull up, the alpha quickly jumping out to open Louis’ door. The heat was blasting when he got in, making the omega giggle.

“Feels like I’m on a tropical island,” Louis said with a smile.

“Would rather be there than Los Angeles right now, it would be nice to relax,” Harry said.

“I’ve never been to a tropical island, actually, but I can imagine. I hate when it starts to get cold,” Louis said.

“I only like the cold because I get to wear winter coats,” Harry admitted, drawing a laugh out of Louis. Harry reached his hand over the center console in a moment of courage and gently entangled his hand with Louis’ own. The omega smiled over sleepily at him and Harry didn’t even have to breathe in to know that the car smelled like cinnamon hot chocolate. He breathed in anyways.

The combination of a warm car and an alpha’s touch had an already tired Louis nodding off as they drove back to the mansion. Harry lifted his free hand off of the wheel and turned the music completely off, not wanting to wake up Louis. Harry couldn’t help but think about how this night would end if he were courting the omega. He’d carry him upstairs to their room and gently undress him before putting one of his own huge shirts on the boy. He had grown possessive of the omega rather quickly and he longed to see Louis wear his clothes again. 

He nodded to the guards as they opened the gate to the mansion, not chancing a quick conversation. Not bothering Louis was more important than pleasantries with his workers at the moment. He pulled the car into the massive garage, parking in between a sleek, black Range Rover and light blue Mustang. 

After shutting the car off he made his way over to the passenger side and made the decision to wake the omega up instead of carrying him upstairs. His mama and mom often lectured him about consent, and he would rather risk waking Louis up then ruining things with him by assuming he was okay with him touching him.

“Hey love,” Harry whispered as he rubbed Louis’ shoulder, “We’re home.”

Louis eyes squeezed shut before opening, the omega letting out a little yawn. The cute furrow between his brow enamored Harry, the omega looking completely confused and dazed.

“Sorry to wake you, little one. I didn’t want to pick you up without your consent,” Harry said honestly.

Louis, although sleepy, was grateful for the alpha’s honest words. He knew how taken aback he’d be if he woke up in his own bed, so knowing Harry cared enough to wake him up meant the world.

“It’s ‘kay,” Louis said with a smile as Harry unbuckled his seatbelt for him. The alpha’s chivalry completely turned him on; knowing that Harry was constantly putting Louis before himself was intoxicating. It was like the alpha was always thinking about what he could do to make Louis feel comfortable and special. Every sign pointed to the fact that Harry was raised extremely well, and from the way Harry talked about his parents he knew it was true. 

It seemed like fifty butterflies flew into Louis’ stomach with every step that he took towards his room. He was unsure of whether or not Harry would try and kiss him; honestly, he hoped he didn’t. He wasn’t ready for that regardless of how much he liked the alpha. This was all new to him, and he wanted to savor it. More than that, he wanted to make sure Harry was in it for the long haul. He was no dummy; he knew what kind of enterprise Harry owned and what people said about him. Obviously, he didn’t believe that Harry slept with women and men every night or he wouldn’t be on a date with him. He just knew that intelligent, beautiful, rich people constantly surrounded Harry and he could leave Louis at any time. He knew it wasn’t probable, but still. There would always be a feeling of inferiority when he constantly saw omegas talking to Harry.

“I had an amazing time tonight, Lou,” Harry said, shaking Louis out of his nervous mind babble. 

The omega blushed a light pink as Harry stared down at him with blazing green eyes.

“So did I,” Louis said quietly with a smile, “W-we should do it again.”

Harry broke into a gorgeous grin and Louis knew he’d be dreaming of his face for a long while. “Of course, little one. I’d love nothing more.”

“You’re a lot busier than me,” Louis admitted as Harry laughed, “So it’s up to you.”

“I’d move anything around for you, babe.”

“Good to know,” Louis responded with a cheeky smile, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight and sweet dreams,” Harry said as he pulled Louis into a tight hug. He marveled at how small the omega was, how easy it would be to hold him in his arms for the rest of his life. He hoped he could soon.

Louis retreated into his room and shut the door, jumping onto his bed before letting out a deep breath. He needed to call Zayn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so sorry for taking so long! Life has been absolutely insane as some of y'all know! I hope this makes up for it <3

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!!!! My twitter is @needaherofic, please comment, tweet, or dm me :) Thanks all <3


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